SocialismToday           Socialist Party magazine
 

Issue 222 October 2018

Sweden's election warning

On 9 September, the Swedish Social Democrats had their worst election since 1908. The main right-wing Moderate Party did even worse. The racist Sweden Democrats increased their vote to 17.9%, its highest ever. There was also a certain increase for the Left Party, from 5.7% to 7.9%. Among students, it got 20% in one opinion poll.

The mistrust of the establishment parties was more pronounced than ever. Never have so many changed their party allegiance, 41%, and more than one in three decided who they would vote for in the final week of campaigning. What government Sweden ends up with is unclear – neither of the two blocs, the red-green and right-wing Alliance, has a majority.

Between 2006 and 2014, Sweden had a right-wing four-party government, the Alliance – Moderate Party, Centre Party, Liberals, and Christian Democrats. They were replaced by a coalition of Social Democrats and Greens, with Left Party support from the outside. That coalition presided over a period of stronger economic growth than most European countries. However, that was not reflected in most workers’ wages.

Inequality has increased faster than in most countries. Sweden has more dollar billionaires per capita than anywhere else. Cuts in healthcare, sick pay, assistance for people with disabilities and councils have continued. On top of this, in 2015 the government made a 180-degree turn on refugees. From offering permanent permits to anyone from Syria, it imposed the minimum EU level, attempting to close borders, blocking family reunification and offering three-year maximum permits. The establishment parties and media followed a pattern seen in other European countries, linking immigration to crime, social problems and high costs.

The Social Democrats won just 28.3% of the vote. The party never received less than 37% from 1924 to 1994. Yet, it was better than the 23-24% predicted in some opinion polls in June. The small increase since was most probably due to a desire to stop the Sweden Democrats, a vote for a ‘lesser evil’.

The results showed that the crisis in the Social Democrats has spread to their last remaining strongholds in the north. In Sollefteå, where the Social Democrats closed big parts of the hospital, the party collapsed from 47.8% to 13.8%. There, as well as Norrbotten in the far north, where it has ruled for 84 years, local healthcare parties became the biggest in the regional elections held at the same time.

The decline of the biggest traditional capitalist party, the Moderates, is even greater. They fell 3.5% from 2014; 11% less than in 2010. Among the other Alliance parties, the Centre Party increased its support for being the most outspoken against the Sweden Democrats, while the Christian Democrats increased by being close to them.

The Green Party suffered for its time in coalition, betraying its promises on refugees and the environment. It is now the smallest party in parliament with 4.4%. In 62 councils and eight regions, it lost all its seats.

The Left Party had its best result since 1998. Thirteen percent of voters aged 22-30 backed it and more than 10% of women voters. In council and regional elections, the Left Party increased even more – in the Stockholm and Västernorrland regions it became the third-largest party. The Left Party leadership has reiterated its wish to become part of a red-green government, but the Social Democrats prefer a deal with one or more of the Alliance parties.

If the Left Party wants to build on its increased electoral support, it has to become a real opposition, breaking with the leadership’s aspiration of being ‘responsible’. It should help to build a broad, fighting left-wing opposition that unites rank-and-file activists and socialists from different organisations and movements. The opportunity to build a mass movement for the necessary change of society would be accelerated if the Left Party opened its doors to the anti-capitalist and anti-racist red and green left looking for a political opening.

The racist Sweden Democrats continued to increase, from 5.7% in 2010 to 12.9% in the previous election, to 17.9% now. According to an election day poll, it was the largest party among men, and the second-largest among members of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO).

A few days before the election, the Social Democrats’ leader, Stefan Löfven, announced his willingness to "put party tactics to one side", "taking responsibility for Sweden". This was a flirt in particular with the Centre Party and the Liberals. The Social Democrats continue to claim that more unites the traditional parties than divides them. This line is supported by the LO leadership, even though such a government would launch new attacks on labour laws – high on the anti-union agenda of the Liberals and Centre Party.

The Sweden Democrats did not become the biggest or second-largest party, as appeared possible in the summer. But it is a small comfort. Their racism will not disappear or be toned down. Like similar parties around Europe, SD presents itself as anti-party. It blames the other parties for ‘mass immigration’, which it says is the cause of the healthcare crisis, housing shortages and unemployment. On social media, its leader Jimmie Åkesson puts out material attacking immigration and refugees, especially Muslims.

More commentators now believe that the Moderate Party and Christian Democrats will soon start collaborating with the Sweden Democrats. It is a line strongly advocated by the daily business paper, Dagens Industri. They have increased confidence in the SD, especially since it now strongly supports welfare privatisation. Their neo-liberal policies must be a starting point for the movement against racism that is needed.

There is a strong willingness, especially among young people, to fight against the racism, sexism and homophobia of the SD. The best answer is united struggle – in particular, where workers fight against deteriorating living standards, for higher wages and better conditions. Given the emergency housing situation – lack of apartments, high rents and fraudulent ‘renovations’ – tenants also need to come together in battle. The lack of struggle is the strongest factor behind the drop in a fighting consciousness and workers’ organisation in Sweden over the last period.

What matters is determined action. When the violent neo-Nazi Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR in Sweden) was going to march in Gothenburg last year, it was stopped by 20,000 people on the streets. That was a big success in the fight against the SD too. The main issues of housing, inequality and anti-racism will continue to be part of Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna’s (CWI Sweden) campaigns and initiatives for broader struggles and a fighting socialist programme.

Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna reporters

Click here for the full article - from www.socialistworld.net


Home About Us | Back Issues | Reviews | Links | Contact Us | Subscribe | Search | Top of page