What´s the problem with the Swedish Democrats?

I have followed the thrilling result of the counting of the votes in the Swedish Parliament election. The right wing "Alliance" coalition does not succeed in gaining a majority lacking only 9 votes in Gothenburg and 7 in Värmland! Now all the votes are counted. But it has already been challenged...

When we, the Christian Democrats in Uppsala, followed the count right after the election everyone shouted with excitement when the forecast of 175 mandates for the "Alliance" came up (175 makes a majority out of the 349 seats in the Swedish Riksdag). And of course it would have been wonderful if a historical Swedish right wing majority government would have been reelected! A unique period would have been followed by another unique one.

But I see no problem with the Swedish "Alliance" government ruling as a minority government! The common situation in Sweden has been the Social democrats governing with support of a minority in the parliament and the passive support of the more or less undemocratic leftist party (former communists). What then is the problem with an Alliance government depending on a passive support of the Swedish Democrats?

The left wing coalition has showed themselves from the worst side critizising the government for cooperating with the Swedish Democrats. It is natural that the biggest coalition form a government! Or are the left coalition prepared to vote against the "Alliance" with the only result that they themselves would have to depend on SD?

No, hypocrats and bad loosers are what the leftists are! They should accept that they have lost the election and let prime minister Reinfeldt & Co go on with governing Sweden in peace!

Dn 1,2, XP 1, SVT 1, SvD 1,2,3,4 AB 1,2,3, 4

Fatal mistakes by the Norwegian centre

Unfortunately my fears about the Norwegian election where fulfilled and the leftist government was reelected. The two parties Kristelig Folkeparti ("Christian Democrats") and Venstre ("Liberals") has not been able to adopt from the situation 1997-2005 where they succesfully ruled Norway under the Christian Democratic prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik. Instead they have kept working against the biggest right-wing party Fremskrittspartiet. Now the voters have given their verdict, and Venstre is left with only two mandates in the Parliament "Stortinget" and their leader Sponheim has announced his resignment (VG).

Now I hope that during the coming four years the right - wing parties will be able to do a better job to open way for a non-socialist government in the future! Erna Solberg, the party leader of Høyre (the Conservatives) has so far seemed to be the only one aiming for this. It is tragic that in a country like Norway with a strong non-socialist majority, the socialistic parties anyway can stay in government, with the help of the Senterpartiet.

In Sweden, thank God, the situation is the opposite! I hope that the Swedish governing alliance will succeed as well as the Norwegian in the elections next year!

Media: DN 1,2,3, SvD 1,2,3 , VG 1,2,3,4,5,6

The Israeli government is right and wrong

The in Sweden so called Israel-affair is growing off limits, and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is trying to defend his point in his blog. I beleive that you have to look at things out of two perspectives.

On one hand the Israeli Government, which is asking for an official apology by the Swedish government, and even wants to stop Swedish journalists from working in Israel (see Dagen, DN). One can definately understand the viewpoints of Israel. I would also react if someone accused me, or the Swedish army, to steal organs from assasinated enemies and sell them in the black market. Even if it is a kind of war going on, and palestinians are being killed that is far away from the idea of an army of a democratic state ripping corpses and selling the contents. This is definately an illustration of a demonization of Israel which in this case has reached even into the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Anders Gerdmar, a theologian that I know has written about this, in Swedish, at Newsmill and he can really confirm this idea of demonization of Israel.

It is also a fact that Israel is a country in the Middle East. In the Middle East people do not express demselves as modestly as we do in Scandinavia! No, they react strongly and loudly, especially in a situation where you feel intimidated. We in Sweden often concider Israel a part of the Western world, but the greater part of the population is of oriental origin, or has at least grown up there. Therefor it is easy to see parallels (not in the level of violence though) to the reactions in the Middle East towards the Mohamed cartoons.

On the other hand I do agree with Carl Bildt and the Swedish government in the promotion of the Swedish freedom of press. The fact that Aftonbladet has published a badly underbuilt article which is an example of bad journalism deserves attacs in the public debate - even on the pages of Aftonbladet itself. Israel should objectively reproach the attac perhaps whith an article in Aftonbladet. Facts and objectivity will also win in the end - because it is the Truth that set us free!

The swedish government should pick up the work done by former Prime Minister Göran Persson and initiate a new Holocaust conference in Stockholm. This is suggested by Tomas Sandell, director of European coalition for Israel (ViD). There is definately need for a bettering of the Swedish reputation after this article in Aftonbladet, and the events concerning the Davis Cup-match in Malmö recently.

DN 1,2,3,4,5, SvD 1,2,3,4 Dagen 1,2,3

Swedish minister in Uppsala

Maria Larsson, Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health (Swedish government) today visited our county, where she among other things opened a playground for elderly people in Enköping, the first one of its' kind in Sweden. (see TV4 and UNT ). In Uppsala the host was Gustaf von Essen, chairman of the committy for elderly care. Unfortunately I could not participate since I was at home in bed due to a temperature.

For the Swedish Christian Democratic party, the conditions for elderly people is one of our main priorities. It is great to have so many Christian Democratic politicians in charge of this area on local, regional and state level! (photo:kristdemokraterna)