Swedish election: Worry to worry across the board
From clear conflicts of interest, ignoring the pressing issues of our time and a bipartisan effort to end Sweden’s neutrality policy
The votes have been counted in the Swedish election and the right-wing bloc has won a surprise win. Looking back, the results set in Sweden may well be the poster child for what we’re into DiEM25 fight against.
From clear conflicts of interest, to ignoring pressing issues of our time and a bipartisan effort to end Sweden’s neutrality policy, there is cause for concern across the board.
At the end of August, the television program “Kalla Fakta” revealed five of the eight parties that sit in Sweden’s Riksdag and try to circumvent donation rules.
Sweden’s soon-to-be Prime Minister, Ulf Kristerssonco-owns a holiday home with one of Sweden’s most notorious lobbyists, Peje Emilssonwho openly brags about how he texts the soon-to-be prime minister when he thinks he’s done a good job.
The largest left-wing party in Sweden social democratsfolds for the pressure of the right for NATO membership, ending a 200-year-old policy of neutrality.
For decades, NATO membership has been promoted by right-wing parties but with little support from the Swedish people. But then the Russian invasion of Ukraine there has been a shift of opinion towards the pro-NATO side. With an election coming up, the most democratic and sensible way would have been to wait until after the results. As it turned out, the right pushed hard for membership and the Social Democrats followed suit by leaving.
All right-wing parties (and the Social Democrats) are pushing for more nuclear power, which leads to a very one-sided debate.
There has been little room to discuss the implications of nuclear power or the fact that we actually have a surplus of electricity (to such an extent that we are the leading exporter in Europe).
In 2021, Sweden produced 166 TWh (68% from renewable sources) and consumes around 140 TWh, leaving 22 TWh for export. In the last eight months of this year, Sweden has exported more than 16 TWh. Compared to France, the leading producer of energy in Europe last year, Sweden imported energy this summer because their “reliable” nuclear plants have gone offline (for maintenance and to prevent rivers from overheating).
Climate change, one of the most pressing issues of them all, has been completely overlooked by the political establishment and by the media. And the list goes on…
So even here in the far north, the political discourse is dictated by the oligarchs. However, DiEM25 in Sweden is ready to take the fight.
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