Sentinel
17th December 2014, 01:39
I thought we should have a thread on the quite scary developments in Sweden this month. As a disclaimer at the start, while parliamentary developments are discussed it is on basis of their effects on society, not an endorsement of reformism etc from my part.
As you may or may not know, Sweden held elections on September 14th. The centre-right Alliance of bourgeois parties which had held power since 2006 was defeated by the so called 'redgreen bloc' consisting of the SAP (Social Democratic Workers' Party), the Greens and the Left Party. Neither 'bloc' got a majority, but as the redgreens got more votes the SAP got to form a government together with the Greens and with the support of the Left Party.
The Left was excluded from government but managed to negotiate some quite radical reforms to regulate the welfare sector. The new government also promised a few other reforms, and recognised the Palestine state setting an important precedent in western Europe. But then the shit hit the fan big time.
The leader of the far right Sweden Democrats (SD), racist-populists with their roots in the white power movement, who had more than doubled their seats in parliament going from under 6% in the 2010 elections to almost 13%, Jimmie Åkesson suffered a 'burnout'. It is speculated whether he was ousted from power by the more radical wing of his party, or whether it is a plot to prevent his reputation being damaged by the actions of the party at this junction. Noone is sure, but in any case Mattias Karlsson took over as deputy chairman.
On December 2, the budget was voted upon by the parliament. SD had been hinting that they might vote for the Alliance oppositions budget unless either bloc was prepared to discuss with them (reducing immigration), but this had been regarded as posturing and all parties maintained that there will be no negotiations with them. After all, the parliamentary praxis dictates that parties only vote for their own budget proposals, and abstain in the second round should it fail.
SD had done this the last time, and also after he recent elections demanded that praxis be followed so they got a 2:nd deputy speaker of parliament elected as the third largest party (other parties complied and abstained, with only the Left voting against). But now they instead wiped their arses with the 'praxis' - after their budget proposal was defeated, they promptly voted with the bourgeois opposition instead of abstaining, giving that proposal the majority and defeating the government one.
A governmental crisis ensued. PM Stefan Löfven announced that since he cannot administrate the bourgeois budget, new elections will be held on March 22.
SD deputy leader Mattias Karlsson moreover declared, that SD will from now on similarly vote down every government which doesn't negotiate with them on reducing immigration, effectively holding the majority of the parliament hostage unless the rules are somehow changed to make it easier for minority governments to get their budget passed. This aside, the party has changed it's rhetoric in a much more radical direction since.
The 2:nd deputy speaker, party secretary Björn Söder who was already before known for his rampant racism and homophobia, went out and declared that the 5 recognised minorities of Sweden - sweden finns, tornedalians, sami people, roma people, and jews - cannot be Swedish or part of the Swedish nation. This has caused an uproar in media, along with prominent SD member Kent Ekeroths proposal that a register be set up over people with one or more parent born abroad.
Due to these developments, even PM Löfven has now went out and condemned SD as a neo-fascist party. After toppling the government, SD:s popularity went up from 12% to 14%, or according to one survey 17%. There has however afaik been no survey yet after the statements by Ekeroth and Söder.
So great, from having a reformist left government which might have reversed at least some of the disastrious counterreforms from the last 8 years, we now don't know what the hell we will get in March. The bourgeois alliance parties while not cooperating actively with SD, are enjoying the new chance to get back in power, proposing that rules on budget voting be changed afterwards.
And as a cherry on top, we have an increasingly aggressive and increasingly openly neo-fascist party in parliament which may increase it's support even further. Scary fucking times.
As you may or may not know, Sweden held elections on September 14th. The centre-right Alliance of bourgeois parties which had held power since 2006 was defeated by the so called 'redgreen bloc' consisting of the SAP (Social Democratic Workers' Party), the Greens and the Left Party. Neither 'bloc' got a majority, but as the redgreens got more votes the SAP got to form a government together with the Greens and with the support of the Left Party.
The Left was excluded from government but managed to negotiate some quite radical reforms to regulate the welfare sector. The new government also promised a few other reforms, and recognised the Palestine state setting an important precedent in western Europe. But then the shit hit the fan big time.
The leader of the far right Sweden Democrats (SD), racist-populists with their roots in the white power movement, who had more than doubled their seats in parliament going from under 6% in the 2010 elections to almost 13%, Jimmie Åkesson suffered a 'burnout'. It is speculated whether he was ousted from power by the more radical wing of his party, or whether it is a plot to prevent his reputation being damaged by the actions of the party at this junction. Noone is sure, but in any case Mattias Karlsson took over as deputy chairman.
On December 2, the budget was voted upon by the parliament. SD had been hinting that they might vote for the Alliance oppositions budget unless either bloc was prepared to discuss with them (reducing immigration), but this had been regarded as posturing and all parties maintained that there will be no negotiations with them. After all, the parliamentary praxis dictates that parties only vote for their own budget proposals, and abstain in the second round should it fail.
SD had done this the last time, and also after he recent elections demanded that praxis be followed so they got a 2:nd deputy speaker of parliament elected as the third largest party (other parties complied and abstained, with only the Left voting against). But now they instead wiped their arses with the 'praxis' - after their budget proposal was defeated, they promptly voted with the bourgeois opposition instead of abstaining, giving that proposal the majority and defeating the government one.
A governmental crisis ensued. PM Stefan Löfven announced that since he cannot administrate the bourgeois budget, new elections will be held on March 22.
SD deputy leader Mattias Karlsson moreover declared, that SD will from now on similarly vote down every government which doesn't negotiate with them on reducing immigration, effectively holding the majority of the parliament hostage unless the rules are somehow changed to make it easier for minority governments to get their budget passed. This aside, the party has changed it's rhetoric in a much more radical direction since.
The 2:nd deputy speaker, party secretary Björn Söder who was already before known for his rampant racism and homophobia, went out and declared that the 5 recognised minorities of Sweden - sweden finns, tornedalians, sami people, roma people, and jews - cannot be Swedish or part of the Swedish nation. This has caused an uproar in media, along with prominent SD member Kent Ekeroths proposal that a register be set up over people with one or more parent born abroad.
Due to these developments, even PM Löfven has now went out and condemned SD as a neo-fascist party. After toppling the government, SD:s popularity went up from 12% to 14%, or according to one survey 17%. There has however afaik been no survey yet after the statements by Ekeroth and Söder.
So great, from having a reformist left government which might have reversed at least some of the disastrious counterreforms from the last 8 years, we now don't know what the hell we will get in March. The bourgeois alliance parties while not cooperating actively with SD, are enjoying the new chance to get back in power, proposing that rules on budget voting be changed afterwards.
And as a cherry on top, we have an increasingly aggressive and increasingly openly neo-fascist party in parliament which may increase it's support even further. Scary fucking times.