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Sweden faces political deadlock after far-right gains


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Sweden faces political deadlock after far-right gains

By Johan Sennero and Helena Soderpalm

 

2018-09-09T145412Z_1_LYNXNPEE880HR_RTROPTP_4_SWEDEN-ELECTION.JPG

People wait to cast their votes at a polling station in Malmo, Sweden September 9, 2018. TT News Agency/Johan Nilsson via REUTERS

 

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden headed for a hung parliament after an election on Sunday that saw the popularity of the nationalist Sweden Democrats surge, as one of Europe's most liberal nations turns right amid fears over immigration.

 

Far-right parties have made spectacular gains throughout Europe in recent years amid growing anxiety over national identity and the effects of globalisation and immigration following armed conflict in the Middle East and North Africa.

 

In Sweden, an influx of 163,000 asylum seekers in 2015 - the most in Europe in relation to the country's population of 10 million - has polarised voters and fractured the political consensus.

 

Partial results, with some 80 percent of districts counted, showed the ruling centre-left Social Democrats and Greens and their Left Party parliamentary allies winning 40.6 percent of the vote, while the opposition centre-right Alliance were seen at 40.1 percent.

 

The Sweden Democrats, a party founded by white supremacists, rose to 17.8 percent from 12.9 percent in the last election four years ago, in effect securing the balance of power.

 

Still, their result looked set to fall short of their own leaders' predictions of a vote of 20 percent or more.

 

Nevertheless, their leader Jimmie Akesson told a party rally: "We will gain huge influence over what happens in Sweden during the coming weeks, months and years".

 

With neither main political bloc able to command a majority, the Sweden Democrats, who want the country to leave the European Union and put a freeze on immigration, could play a decisive role in negotiations over forming a government that look set to be complex and drawn-out.

 

Akesson challenged Ulf Kristersson, the centre-right Alliance's candidate for the premiership, to choose between seeking support from the Sweden Democrats and the incumbent Social Democrat prime minister, Stefan Lofven.

 

EUROSCEPTICS ON THE RISE

 

The election will add to concerns in Brussels as the European Union enters campaign mode ahead of the European Parliament election in May, which could give more voice to eurosceptic groups and thwart efforts at closer EU integration.

 

The record levels of asylum seeks in 2015 magnified worries about a welfare system that many voters already believe is in crisis, even though refugee numbers have fallen sharply since then.

 

Lengthening queues for critical operations, shortages of doctors and teachers and the failures of police to deal with inner-city gang violence have shaken faith in the "Swedish model", built on a promise of comprehensive welfare and social inclusion.

 

Akesson had labelled the vote a choice between immigration and welfare in a campaign that was unusually antagonistic.

 

Voting in central Stockholm, student Katze Collmar, 32, said the campaign had been "really unpleasant":

 

"It feels like Sweden could take a step in this election that we won't be able to recover from very easily."

 

Mainstream politicians have so far ruled out cooperation with the Sweden Democrats.

 

But centre-left and centre-right parties face an uphill battle in trying to form a viable coalition government, following decades of acrimony between the two blocs that have defined Swedish politics for decades.

 

The Sweden Democrats have promised to sink any government that refuses to give them a say in policy, particularly on immigration.

 

GRAPHIC - Swedish general election opinion polls: https://tmsnrt.rs/2LmSZFD

 

GRAPHIC - Sweden economy overview: https://tmsnrt.rs/2LmSZFD

 

(Additional reporting by Stockholm newsroom, and Reuters TV; Writing by Justyna Pawlak and Niklas Pollard; Editing by David Evans and Kevin Liffey)

 
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-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-10
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Sweden your future falls on the right taking this election. Whats happening in your country now? Because of liberal policies that European countries are seeing was a mistake. Thailand what would happen if you followed Europe, and Sweden's policies? It would never happen right!

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The Sweden Democrats came in third.

4 hours ago, manarak said:

not a bad result - at least it guarantees that the worries of a significant part of the population will be taken into account.

 

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Incredible how governments like Sweden did not learn from mistakes of other European governments!!

 

25 minutes ago, Mikeasq60 said:

Sweden your future falls on the right taking this election. Whats happening in your country now? Because of liberal policies that European countries are seeing was a mistake. Thailand what would happen if you followed Europe, and Sweden's policies? It would never happen right!

Let's not get too carried away. The Sweden Democrats came in third. Their share of the vote increased by 4.9 percent from 4 years ago. Hardly a surge.

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25 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

The Sweden Democrats came in third.

 

 

Let's not get too carried away. The Sweden Democrats came in third. Their share of the vote increased by 4.9 percent from 4 years ago. Hardly a surge.

True, but because the red and blue blocks are very even, none of them will be able to implement their policies without involving Sweden Democrats. Definitely a win for SD.

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12 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

True, but because the red and blue blocks are very even, none of them will be able to implement their policies without involving Sweden Democrats. Definitely a win for SD.

right,

and their coop will not come cheap

 

the two centre blocks could of course coop in order to keep SD out (would be somewhat odd though)

 

seems like centre blue will be the larger block,

seeking some form of coop with SD may easily lead to the block being reduced

because some parties in the block may flatly refuse to discuss any kind of coop from SD and walk out of the block

 

either of the two largest parties could of course try to rule as a minority government

 

things have been easier

 

 

 

 

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26 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

right,

and their coop will not come cheap

 

the two centre blocks could of course coop in order to keep SD out (would be somewhat odd though)

Sweden can do what Finland did before. We gave our own far left party members cabinet positions and they became rather tame. On top of that the party with cabinet responsibility broke down to smaller parties.  

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1 hour ago, SpaceKadet said:

Yes, things have certainly been easier. And whatever happens on Wednesday, it will not make it easier.

maybe even worse,

early votes and votes from abroad have a tendency to be more on the conservative side

 

ie the two centre blocks coming even closer in votes and seats

 

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1 hour ago, oilinki said:

Sweden can do what Finland did before. We gave our own far left party members cabinet positions and they became rather tame. On top of that the party with cabinet responsibility broke down to smaller parties.  

Good point.

 

The vast majority of politicians are only interested in the money and power - so are easily 'neutralised' when given that which they crave.

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1 hour ago, dick dasterdly said:

Good point.

 

The vast majority of politicians are only interested in the money and power - so are easily 'neutralised' when given that which they crave.

 

problem is that if any of the two largest parties did that they would (almost certain) not have a majority any more,

because their supporters in the red/blue block would leave the block as soon as coop with SD surfaces

 

there are too many fractions in Sweden that flatly refuses to have anything what so ever to do with SD,

that makes life very difficult re forming a government

 

what you see here is shortcomings in democracy at work

 

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8 hours ago, Mikeasq60 said:

Thailand what would happen if you followed Europe, and Sweden's policies? It would never happen right!

If you haven't noticed, Thailand doesn't have either an immigration problem or a national identity problem.  Immigrants are persona non grata; and Thailand for the Thai people.  Now, it will be interesting to watch to see if the historical citizens of other nations in Europe decide to take ownership of their countries back from the politicians who are hell bent on giving their countries away while completely destroying each country's unique culture.

 

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12 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Incredible how governments like Sweden did not learn from mistakes of other European governments!!

In what way?

 

As far as I can see, strong action has been taken and that is why the rise of SD has been limited.

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8 hours ago, SpaceKadet said:

True, but because the red and blue blocks are very even, none of them will be able to implement their policies without involving Sweden Democrats. Definitely a win for SD.

Wanna bet? How about a grand coalition?

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5 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

Good point.

 

The vast majority of politicians are only interested in the money and power - so are easily 'neutralised' when given that which they crave.

Dick, this is Sweden NOT the UK. EVERYONE has enough. Away with the pocket money stuff...

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At the risk of being cast into the outer darkness by a mod for being off topic.....

 

Do any UK contributors see the beauty of Proportional Representation and coalition government? EVERYBODY gets a say and feels represented. The parties have to negotiate with each other to form s government. Works for me! (Would work for UKIP,  Lib Dems and Greens also I think - come to think about it, a Labour Party AND a Trot party AND a Numpty party)

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10 minutes ago, Grouse said:

At the risk of being cast into the outer darkness by a mod for being off topic.....

 

Do any UK contributors see the beauty of Proportional Representation and coalition government? EVERYBODY gets a say and feels represented. The parties have to negotiate with each other to form s government. Works for me! (Would work for UKIP,  Lib Dems and Greens also I think - come to think about it, a Labour Party AND a Trot party AND a Numpty party)

In theory, it's the nearest thing to a true democracy. However, it seems to cause more problems than it's worth to the countries that do have it. Italy being a prime example.

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1 minute ago, Spidey said:

In theory, it's the nearest thing to a true democracy. However, it seems to cause more problems than it's worth to the countries that do have it. Italy being a prime example.

Better than the UK system I think

 

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6 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

Good point.

 

The vast majority of politicians are only interested in the money and power - so are easily 'neutralised' when given that which they crave.

 

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And you base that assertion on?

The assertion that they value their salaries, their expenses, their opportunities for overseas jaunts at taxpayers expense, their tax funded second homes and their fear these  benefits cannot be replaced outside of Parliament.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Grouse said:

Better than the UK system I think

 

if you look at the large mainstream parties I dont think the practical difference between UK and Sweden is very significant,

when it comes to smaller parties, niche parties, the UK system aint no good

 

fresh views and ideas are not welcome in the UK, she is still stuck in the coal age

 

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6 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

if you look at the large mainstream parties I dont think the practical difference between UK and Sweden is very significant,

when it comes to smaller parties, niche parties, the UK system aint no good

 

fresh views and ideas are not welcome in the UK, she is still stuck in the coal age

 

How do you explain then we are the fifth largest economy (2017) by nominal GDP and the seventh easiest country in the world to start a business  if we don't embrace fresh views and ideas? 

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1 hour ago, Grouse said:

Wanna bet? How about a grand coalition?

coop between centre left and centre right with a view to keep SD off the juice is not a good idea,

kinda undemocratic and kinda fooling the voters

there is a division line between centre left and centre right in Sweden

 

now the national assembly is faced with a SD with 62 seats or so, deal with it

forming unheard of coalitions in order to subdue SD would not serve all those who voted for SD

 

 

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35 minutes ago, aright said:

How do you explain then we are the fifth largest economy (2017) by nominal GDP and the seventh easiest country in the world to start a business  if we don't embrace fresh views and ideas? 

How do you explain that the EU regulations are stifling the UK when it's the 7th easiest country in the world to do business in?

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1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

How do you explain that the EU regulations are stifling the UK when it's the 7th easiest country in the world to do business in?

 

I don't have to explain it because I have never claimed it. In my life I have purchased/started seven businesses and currently own two.....the EU neither helped nor hindered, it was all my own work.

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1 minute ago, aright said:

 

I don't have to explain it because I have never claimed it. In my life I have purchased/started seven businesses and currently own two.....the EU neither helped nor hindered, it was all my own work.

I think you're the sole Brexiter who doesn't blame the EU bureaucracy for stifling the UK economy.

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