So, the election for governement is accomplished and finished this Sunday. And the outcome is … not very positive for solidarity and empathy. Everyone expected there to be a new governement of course, and that the Social Democrats would win. No big surprise. The disturbing fact is that the extreme right wing/foreigner hostile party SD (Sweden Democrats) got so many votes. We were afraid this would happen as we had a touch of that for the EU election this spring. And when I say ”we”, I mean me and my friends and collegues – all the people I know, really.
Good rethoric and people not finding any other good alternatives…wanting changes…the other parties too much saying the same things…
I work with the elections every time we have them, and has done so for about thirty years. Not for any party, but helping with the democratic voting process. Now, this SD party has a stronghold in the southern parts of Sweden – in fact close to where I live. Only some 50 kilometres from here they got 27% of the votes. In my little village, the percentage was about 20…So, every fifth person might be an SD-voter! Their faces do not say, their mouths do not speak of this…I look at people I meet in the street and think…Who are you? Really?
There is something growing here in Sweden as well as everywhere in the western world …a cold wind blowing. It frightens me. Together we must stand up against those forces. They must never win.
Leya 
Värsta valet nånsin … Skrämmande att extrem högern får så mycket röster … Det borde vara en ” Wake up call ” till varje politiker och för oss andra som inte röstar så … // Maria 🙂
Om de bara hade förstått att ge alternativ, alla partier! Eftersom den vanligaste repliken är ungefär att ”…jag röstade på det enda partiet som stack ut – det parti som hade ett alternativ till mig.” Det verkar som om många äldre, ”vanliga” människor lagt sin röst här. De känner sig förfördelade när det gäller pengar. De invandrade får mer pengar än de som lslitit i alla år – och pensionärerna måste dessutom betala mer i skatt.
Så går insändartongångarna här nere i alla fall. Bättre det än alla de extremister partiet drar till sig. Ge pensionärerna bättre alternativ!
Yes, Ann-Christine, cold winds blow everywhere. Not so much here, yet, but quite strong in Australia. Our elections tomorrow; wondering what the outcome will be. Probably several parties will have to co-operate in order to form a Government which is a good thing, in lots of ways. Was the overall voter turnout high?
Yes, high. 87%. How did your election turn out now? Hopefully well…
It came out much as I expected with the National (right wing) party returning to power with an increased majority. The voter turn out was disappointingly low, however. About 77%, up from the last elections but no where near as high as it was in the early 1980s. The results were not to my liking but, as I say, it was what I expected.
At least we know what to expect…a bit helpful to accept I guess.
In the US we have Tea Party Republicans, for the most part low information voters who are jerked around by corporate propaganda with hot button issues like immigration, welfare, and abortion. I am also fearful in this country if the Republicans attain a majority in both the House and the Senate. We have a lot of Christo-fascists here.
Difficult everywhere, yes. And its not getting any better. now we will have a weak government trying for support everywhere. I wonder if any good decisions could be made at all.
Ann Christine, so sorry to be ignorant w/re to parties in Sweden. Are you saying that the Social / Sweden Democrats are the ones that want to break away from the UK?
The Sweden Democrates are hostile towards immigrants and we feel insecure, not certain what they really want…They make many people think of Hitler and his party…We do not believe they tell the whole truth, so to speak. Their leader is good rhethorically, but ”the wrong people” tend to join their party, so we fear bad things might be the outcome in the future if people trust them.