The Big Bad Swedish Politics & News Thread

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

So, now that SD has supported the budget proposal of the Alliance, I guess we'll have a new Parliamentary Election in Sweden, in a couple of months?

That government certainly didn't last long.

It's not quite over yet. The government will send the budget back to committee, where they'll try to renegociate it.

I guess the government will now try to lure one of the Alliance party away from the block, but that might be difficult. Which party would generally be closest to the government economically? KD?

They might. If they try that they will fail. Löfvén needs to presuade all four if he wishes to get a deal. The party that breaks rank will be seen as the betrayer and will suffer. The Alliance will also get a better deal if they force the government to make up with all of them together.

If he is determined to just get one though, the Moderates are the obvious choice. They are the opposition party that is most unfit for a fight right now, being leaderless and all, and it would play into their responsible government party schtick they have going. Not to mention they have the greatest buffert for displeased supporters changing ship. 

Well let the chaos begin, I guess.

It's like the 70's again!    

[The Lord Marbury]

Stefan Löfven called to a meeting tonight between the government and the leaders of the centre-right opposition parties, however they have left the budget saying that they will vote for the alliance budget and that they are not willing to negotiate with the government.

[Lurker]

As expected. So, early elections then?

When will it presumably be held - January, February?

[MaxQue]

Stefan Löfven called to a meeting tonight between the government and the leaders of the centre-right opposition parties, however they have left the budget saying that they will vote for the alliance budget and that they are not willing to negotiate with the government.

Let's hope voters punish that unwillingness to negociate.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

As expected. So, early elections then?

When will it presumably be held - January, February?

Middle of February would be my guess. 

[Franzl]

So wait, is this really happening?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Budget proposition defeated with 153 for it, 182 against it. The dice is cast.   

Press Conference with the Prime Minister expected at 16.30. Löfvén will either resign in order for the Speaker to find a new majority in the current parliament, or call a snap election.

So wait, is this really happening?

It would seem so.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Early elections will be held on 22 March next year.

[RogueBeaver]

Does the Alliance have a comeback shot?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Does the Alliance have a comeback shot?

All bets are off.

I will not be surprised by either status quo or a political earthquake ala Denmark 1973.

[ingemann]

Interview with Renfeldt

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read more http://www.thelocal.se/20141207/no-home-for-swe-dems-on-centre-right-reinfeldt

[ingemann]

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http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/car-bombs-rock-southern-swedens-city-malmo-27735717

[The Lord Marbury]

Christian Democrat leader Göran Hägglund announced today that he would step down as party leader at an extra congress to be held in the spring. Somewhat expected, although his departure has pretty much been speculated on at various times through the past five years or so. It did however take some attention away from the Liberals' Jan Björklund who has really been exposed to the majority of the resignation speculations in the past two weeks or so. 

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Christian Democrat leader Göran Hägglund announced today that he would step down as party leader at an extra congress to be held in the spring. Somewhat expected, although his departure has pretty much been speculated on at various times through the past five years or so. It did however take some attention away from the Liberals' Jan Björklund who has really been exposed to the majority of the resignation speculations in the past two weeks or so. 

Göran Häglund is one of Sweden's most likable politicians in one of its least likable parties, which is of course why he has survived all these years despite the awful awful polling numbers through-out his tenure. I have to say I really didn't expect him to go this soon, maybe in 2016 or 2017, but definable not now.

Jan Björklund on the other hand became a huge liability for his party a long time ago and he becomes worse for every passing day. I would expect him to survive until the summer though, as FP is scheduled to have a party conference this autumn, and there is no reason to have an early conference just to sack Björklund a few months in advance.   

[politicus]

Battle for party leadership in KD in Sweden. Seems to be between Ebba Busch and Jacob Forssmed.

Busch is the charismatic leader of KD in Uppsala. She got more personal votes than any other candidate for the Uppsala local elections last year and has been a rising star for some time.

She is generally perceived as being on the right-wing of the party, emphasizing more secular conservatism than traditional religious ideas. She talks a lot about curbing the powers of the state. She seems smart and young, is a woman (pretty good looking too) and, IMO, has the right type of ideology to get some votes back to a party in deed crisis. The main drawbacks are I guess the same things, youth, might be seen as too radical a shift, etc. Also, she is not in parliament which is often seen as a drawback. Then again, it seemed to work fine for S with Löfven. She is also giving birth soon but she basically told the media to get over themselves with regards to that.

Forssmed I know little about, but he's apparently more to the left and a compassionate conservative. He also seems more linked to the party establishment and the current line. Not well known outside of the party.

So far, Busch has a clear lead in district nominations but most of the big districts are yet to declare.

[politicus]

Busch is the charismatic leader of KD in Uppsala.  

Really... ?I will have to disagree with you here Gustaf.  If Busch seemed any more cold she'd be the ice queen from Narnia. Busch might be charismatic for KD, but really, that's not saying much.

Something awkward/forced about her smile on most pics, but she does look warm sometimes:



Awkward Busch:



(not sure I should post these, Tender will make a "hot or not" thread in no time.. )

[Gustaf]

Ah, there is a separate Swedish one I see. Chauvinist win for us I suppose.

Given her evangelical background, of course she will have a forced or awkward element to her cheeriness, that comes with the territory.

She caught some flak for having posed with an Israeli tank some years ago at some museum.

Anyway, I think her political orientation is the right one for KD, strategically speaking.

[The Lord Marbury]

Hmm... judging from that second picture Busch seems to have a bit of the same 'crazy eyes' issues as the Moderates' party secretary Tomas Tobé.

But yeah with her as leader the Christian Democrats would definitely strongly continue down the 'SD-light' path the party has taken recently. Although since Hägglund came third in district nominations back in 2004 but still became leader Forssmed could have a bigger chance than you'd think after purely looking at the numbers, since he seems to be the favored candidate of Göran Hägglund and the current leadership.

Big news today also as Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson came out and said that the government would be looking to abolish the current 1% budget surplus goal and replace it with a simple balanced budget goal.

This came not a second too late in my opinion since as many economists, Confed. of Swedish Enterprise, all major trade unions, etc. have said, the surplus goal is really no longer needed when we have a relatively low national debt of 30-40% compared to the 80% we had in the early 90s. Besides, we haven't run a budget surplus for several years and for the sake of all honesty none of the parties would've ran on billions and billions of austerity cuts and tax hikes in the next election just to reach the 1% surplus goal. Better to set the goal of a balanced budget now instead so we won't have to see lots of empty talk about reaching the 1% surplus in the coming years when in reality there's no true political will to do so.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Big news today also as Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson came out and said that the government would be looking to abolish the current 1% budget surplus goal and replace it with a simple balanced budget goal.

This came not a second too late in my opinion since as many economists, Confed. of Swedish Enterprise, all major trade unions, etc. have said, the surplus goal is really no longer needed when we have a relatively low national debt of 30-40% compared to the 80% we had in the early 90s. Besides, we haven't run a budget surplus for several years and for the sake of all honesty none of the parties would've ran on billions and billions of austerity cuts and tax hikes in the next election just to reach the 1% surplus goal. Better to set the goal of a balanced budget now instead so we won't have to see lots of empty talk about reaching the 1% surplus in the coming years when in reality there's no true political will to do so.

What are you talking about!?

Don't you know that the barns are empty, debt is running crazy because of the neoliberal tax cuts, and the economy is in shambles because the Alliance mismanaged the economy for the last eight years!!!

Or did the new government magically fix all those problems in the last few months?
I have to say, despite not being able to pass a budget or any major legislation through parliament, the Social Democrats sure are an effective bunch at fixing things.    

[The Lord Marbury]

Big news today also as Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson came out and said that the government would be looking to abolish the current 1% budget surplus goal and replace it with a simple balanced budget goal.

This came not a second too late in my opinion since as many economists, Confed. of Swedish Enterprise, all major trade unions, etc. have said, the surplus goal is really no longer needed when we have a relatively low national debt of 30-40% compared to the 80% we had in the early 90s. Besides, we haven't run a budget surplus for several years and for the sake of all honesty none of the parties would've ran on billions and billions of austerity cuts and tax hikes in the next election just to reach the 1% surplus goal. Better to set the goal of a balanced budget now instead so we won't have to see lots of empty talk about reaching the 1% surplus in the coming years when in reality there's no true political will to do so.

What are you talking about!?

Don't you know that the barns are empty, debt is running crazy because of the neoliberal tax cuts, and the economy is in shambles because the Alliance mismanaged the economy for the last eight years!!!

Or did the new government magically fix all those problems in the last few months?
I have to say, despite not being able to pass a budget or any major legislation through parliament, the Social Democrats sure are an effective bunch at fixing things.    

Well the barns are certainly empty in the capacity of the previous government having left a 1% budget deficit behind them and a ≈75 billion gap up to the surplus goal, which no party on any side has any political will to completely abridge, in spite of heavy rhetoric. However if I'm wrong and the Alliance runs on billions and billions of budget cuts in the next election I'll certainly eat my shoes.

[Gustaf]

Hmm... judging from that second picture Busch seems to have a bit of the same 'crazy eyes' issues as the Moderates' party secretary Tomas Tobé.

But yeah with her as leader the Christian Democrats would definitely strongly continue down the 'SD-light' path the party has taken recently. Although since Hägglund came third in district nominations back in 2004 but still became leader Forssmed could have a bigger chance than you'd think after purely looking at the numbers, since he seems to be the favored candidate of Göran Hägglund and the current leadership.

Big news today also as Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson came out and said that the government would be looking to abolish the current 1% budget surplus goal and replace it with a simple balanced budget goal.

This came not a second too late in my opinion since as many economists, Confed. of Swedish Enterprise, all major trade unions, etc. have said, the surplus goal is really no longer needed when we have a relatively low national debt of 30-40% compared to the 80% we had in the early 90s. Besides, we haven't run a budget surplus for several years and for the sake of all honesty none of the parties would've ran on billions and billions of austerity cuts and tax hikes in the next election just to reach the 1% surplus goal. Better to set the goal of a balanced budget now instead so we won't have to see lots of empty talk about reaching the 1% surplus in the coming years when in reality there's no true political will to do so.

Wasn't this because the favoured candidates stepped aside?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Wasn't this because the favoured candidates stepped aside?

Actually I think it was because Alf Svensson told the election committee that he wanted it that way.

[The Lord Marbury]

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http://www.thelocal.se/20150310/sweden-to-discontinue-saudi-arabia-deal

And not a moment too soon. Happy to see that the government didn't buck to the pressure from business leaders who wanted to extend the deal and that Löfven was worn down by the internal criticism from various Social Democrats and the Greens over a possible extension. The Saudi's actions in recent days probably made it even easier to justify the scrapping of the deal to those in the business sector who fought for its continuation.

[Gustaf]

While it seems morally correct to scrap this deal, the handling of our foreign policy is beginning to worry me. They seem to have no idea what they're doing.

[Gunnar Larsson]

While it seems morally correct to scrap this deal, the handling of our foreign policy is beginning to worry me. They seem to have no idea what they're doing.

I think the plan is quite clear: grow a backbone and push the international Overton window as much as possible on important issues.