Författare: Ricklingen

Swedish bloc politics has been a thing longer than most people can remember. Basically various shades of red to the left of centre under the auspices of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterna) and a corresponding colour chart in blue led by the Conservatives (Moderaterna) to the right. Diverse maybe but an easily understood dichotomy with the only bad boy, the Left  Party (V, formerly VPK Vänsterpartiet kommunisterna) held in check by the far larger Social Democrats.  

The arrival of the Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) in 2010  saw the political emancipation of populist nationalists, resulting in a headache for the blue team. Initially shunned by all and sundry, they were finally accepted in the 2022 election by all but one of the parties to the right of centre, more or less on an equal partner basis albeit with no official role in government. Not at any price wanting to be associated with Sweden’ s own ”deplorables” The Centre Party (Centerpartiet) chose to switch sides and support the Social Democrat´s left of centre alliance in opposition. As a distinctly liberal, non socialist party with the interests of small businesses at heart it chose ideology over realpolitik .

Last Sunday ` s Swedish election results have now been finally confirmed. With a majority of 176 seats to 173 for Magdalena Andersson´ s Social Democrats in alliance with the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet), the Green Party (Miljöpartiet) and the Centre Party (Centerpartiet) paving the way for a new left of centre coalition government. Almost as small a margin as it gets and Magdalena Andersson` s path to becoming Sweden`  s next prime minister is to say the least not a straight one. The Centre Party (Centerpartiet) is maintaining its stance against extremist parties  by conditioning its support on the exclusion of the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) in any coalition. The Left Party in turn are conditioning their support on the opposite. 

The icing on this conundrum cake hit the news a few days ago. One of the Left Party` s newly elected members of parliament is under suspicion of election fraud.

”Vilken soppa!” is the Swedish equivalent of ”what a mess!” A literal translation would be,  ”what a soup!” 

Mmm… a political minestrone no less.

On the 13th of September Sweden goes to the polls. The 4% electoral threshold in force since 1968 has 8 political parties in parliament defending their seats in the coming election. 1968 was also the last year that any party (social democrats) had a majority of parliamentary seats. Since then bloc politics has been the order of the day with parties of different shades of red or blue on either side of the divide. 

The arrival of the one agenda only Green Party (Miljöpartiet) in 1988 with 20 seats of the 349 in total caused a bit of a kerfuffel until eventually revealing themselves as more red than green thus toeing the line of bloc politics.

Disregarding one or two intermediary populist clown shows the proverbial cat amongst the all too complacent pigeons occurred in 2010 with the Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) squeezing into parliament at 5.7%. Populist, nationalist, anti-immigrant with a dubious history and by tuning into growing immigration concerns the party attracted conservative voters as well as a considerable proportion of voters inclined to vote social democrat.  Despite originally being shunned by virtually the entire political establishment the Sweden Democrats have over the years grown into a force to be reckoned with, so much so that their ca. 20% electoral share is a prerequisite for any government right of centre. Ironically, until now at least, sharing the same fate as the former communist party the Left (Vänsterpartiet):  ”we welcome your support but we are not in the habit of handing out ministerial posts to parties harbouring politicians still to be housebroken.”

Not the best opening line when soliciting vital support as both prime minister candidates, (on the left Magdalena Andersson, social democrat and on the right Ulf Kristersson, conservative) have come to realize. The way things are looking the next government will likely include ministers from either one or the other of the two political extremes in Swedish politics. In a nutshell, terrorist apologists on the left and populist racists on the right. 

A stricter approach towards immigration, support for Ukraine, NATO, EU membership as well as law and order are no longer bones of contention. Issues concerning the economy,the climate and national health much the same as ever, in other words, ”vote for us we do things better,” underlined by vapid election posters to the tune of, ”Believe in Sweden, Sweden can do better, Time to take your economy seriously, We are on your side etc. etc.”

In the absence of any fundemental political agenda, parties are instead focusing  on who not to vote for as opposed to what to vote for, targetting the polical bad boys in each bloc.

To quote Winston Churchill in the House of Commons in 1947, ”Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time….”

Something I shall bear in mind when I vote on Sunday.

As the third heatwave of the summer rolls in from the South our little ”pandemic panacea,” in the shape of a small wooden cabin built to keep us at a distance but not isolated from family gatherings, is the perfect retreat. 

I should add, retreat from a hot and busy town environment although my peace of mind here comes with a side order of much that ails the world today, directly or indirectly affecting large numbers of people.

Beyond those trees are wildfires and war, beyond those trees are lunatic leaders wilfully sacrificing human life for their own ends, beyond those trees are people fighting for the right to live in safety, in peace and with the right to determine their own future.

Our future lies beyond those trees!

Are we finally nearing the end of this sickening example of modern day imperialism?  Putin` s so called special military operation has lasted longer than the Soviet Union` s war against Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945 and things aren´ t going too well to say the least.

From a cocky, ” don´ t forget to pack your parade uniforms for the victory parade in Kiev,” some four years ago to an unsustainable war footing barely coping with everything Ukraine is dishing out. The dramatically long list of Russian dead and wounded on the front, the burning oil refineries disrupting much needed income to finance the war, the neutered Black Sea fleet but most important of all the sudden awareness in a world looking on that Russia can longer win this war.

Question a Ukrainian why they are fighting and the answer would not surprisingly be, ”because they invaded us,”  at the same time fully aware of the fact that the existential threat to Ukraine is leaving them with very little choice. Former Prime minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, summed it up nicely. ”If Russia stops there is no war, if Ukraine stops there is no Ukraine.”

Russian answers to that same question would bring forth a Kremlin inspired kaleidoscope of reasons consisting of excuses, propaganda, nationalistic hogwash, rewritten history, authoritarian angst etc. etc. all with a relevant intensity depending on who you were asking and when during the last four years the question was asked. A great patriotic war this is not or at least not Russia’ s despite Putin’ s attempts to portray it as such.

Shutting down the internet to keep Russians from seeing what the world sees wont help. The country that was once described as, ”a gas station dressed up as a nation,” has literally and metaphorically run out of fuel. 

In just over three months Swedish polls open for both national and local elections.  In contrast to the United States where the mid terms seem to have been on everbody`s lips since at least you know who` s first 100 days in office, the election date here is generating as much excitement as a hairdresser` s appointment. Makes me think of something someone said to me on a visit to Israel many years ago: ”Sweden` s problem is that it has no problems.” A fascinating mix of condescension and envy yet in essence not entirely untrue if viewed in comparison with many other countries. 

Since then much has happened in this staunchly monarchistic, strictly neutral, homogeneous so called ”folkhem” (home for the people) once much inclined to shame the rest of the world with its somewhat irritating holier than thou diplomacy. The world has now caught up with Sweden or maybe it` s the other way around.

In November 2021, shortly before Russia` s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden` s then minister for defence stated that the country would never become a member of Nato on his watch. He was right of course as his party, the Social Democrats, lost the election exatly one year later but not before applying for membership of Nato, a process then completed by the newly elected conservative coalition government. 

No longer neutral and no longer homogeneous; the general consensus being that the former has solved a miltary no mates problem whereas the latter has led to  an upheaval of the ”folkhem” where large scale immigration from non european countries, although solving a number of workforce problems, has been overshadowed by some ugly side effects. 

From being a country where forgetting to lock your front door would have been more irritating than stressful to a country where gangland violence is making an indelible mark on Swedish society. Absolute fodder for your common or garden racists suddenly finding something to excuse themselves with. The deplorables, in Hilary Clinton` s words, find themselves on a political gravy train with everbody nodding in agreement that something has to be done. 

Indeed much has been done and successfully so but not without hitches. Fast track legislation on requirements for citizenship, permanent residence permits and other immigrant related issues, in some cases retroactive, has led to a flurry of deportation cases.  Not as one might expect, solely of criminals or people unwilling to integrate but of considerable numbers of immigrants who are clearly fully integrated including language fluency and jobs. Some having grown up in Sweden and knowing no other home. 

Even the Sweden Democrats, who might be considered the political wing of the deplorables found themselves forced into agreeing to a legislative review as public opinion made it clear that this was just a step too far.

In this day of everybody hates America I think a moment` s reflection might be in order.

From the world war two days of ”overpaid, oversexed and over here” to the present day POTUS, the period spanning some 85 years has seen many shifts in the way Europeans see America. From the common prejudices such as forever swilling coca cola, bragging in a loud voice, driving an ostentatious car, believing everything coming out of Hollywood, wearing a Stetson, lacking culture and class, not being able to place most European capitals on a map etc. etc. etc. to an acceptance that the United State´ s Marshal Plan of 1948 was crucial in the rebuilding of western Europe thus laying the foundations for much of Europe` s current prosperity.

Nato chief Mark Rutte` s much criticised reference to Trump as ”Daddy” was not so much an acknowlegement of Trump as it was of a role defining western European nations ’ post war relations with the United States.

Most of us (Europeans) were aware that geopolitical proximity to America ensured our safety at a low cost with military dependence seen as a price worth paying. The UK made well use of the special relationship ”ointment” easing the post-war pain of not only losing an empire but having one of its former colonies calling the shots. 

Well into Trump’ s second term of ”Make America Great Again” the US is ironically enough no longer calling the shots as one Nato ally after another is making it crystal clear that they are not playing along. Trump has given a voice to that other America with rhetoric and politics reminiscent of the above mentioned prejudices. ”Red neck” USA would be more risible than scary were it not for America` s tech billionaires taking sides. 

It is said money cannot buy class but infamy is always for sale.

Although I suspect that Hollywood has much to answer for when it comes to the way many Americans see themselves it would seem that most of us are lesser swayed by any swashbuckling bravado the American film industry has to offer whether fact or fiction other than in the context of entertainment. Heroes coming out on the winning side against all odds and ending up in a tearful/joyful finale, the underlying sentiment being it was all worth it would go a long way in capturing the gist of many films. Squirm inspiring happy ending scenes are two a penny leaving an odd taste even after a really good film. Necessary of course for `feel good effects and box office figures.

In real life a wannabe Dirty Harry has now taken on the Mullahs in Iran for the sake of all God fearing Christians and MAGA are wetting themselves in excitement that their hero, otherwise in no way reminiscent of Clint Eastwood`s role character excepting the epiteth, is showing the world what Americans are made of or perhaps more painfully so, what they at present are not made of.

Surprise, surprise! Up shit creek in a barbed-wire canoe without a paddle is a fair description of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Someone needs to rewrite the script. 

Hey there Congress it’s on you, go ahead and make my day.

One of many definitions concerning an otherwise rather amusing idiom reads as such: ”The idiom knuckle-dragger is a derogatory term often used to describe someone perceived as unintelligent, uncivilized, or primitive. It invokes the image of a person who is so unsophisticated that they walk hunched over, dragging their knuckles on the ground, akin to some primates.” 

The above is then followed by a warning as to why one should be careful in its use. In short comparing people to monkeys is never a good look with often undesired consequences. Undoubtedly so when using the term as a noun but when used as an adjective describing behaviour rather than a person it becomes less offensive and far more to the point. 

Knuckle-dragger behaviour and political populism are two sides of the same coin and appear to be the Achilles’ heel of affluent western democracy. One side seeing the world in black or white with simple solutions to everything and the other side fully aware of, yet ignoring life` s complexities and claiming to have all the solutions.  In symbiosis they become a political power to be reckoned with where the void surrounding flag worship, a common denominator, is filled with xenophobia and general hatred of the ”different.”

Going down this road never ends well as recent history tells us. Anything from economic misery for a generation to geopolitical chaos or in a worst case scenario a highway to authoritarianism. 

On the bright side it is all very educational.

”It is said that everything is just a little bit more of everything in America and I understand the sentiment,” was an earlier comment of mine. View my remark as facetious or factual, the United States has had more clout on the planet than any other country since the heyday of the British Empire. 

The British Empire was just one example of european imperialism and, for better or worse, the values of the time. Exporting civilization and culture steeped in thousands of years of history can however never condone the exploitation and misery Britain and other european countries brought to the far corners of the globe, yet is a fact nevertheless.  Somewhere along the line imperialism went out of fashion whether due to a change of mind or a change of opportunity, with the latter affecting the former being the most likely scenario.

Catherine the Great wannabe: Putin has proved himself to be less than fashion conscious by instigating an invasion of Ukraine in a futile attempt to resurrect the contours of the Russian/Soviet empire. Russia is paying a heavy price for one man’s  megalomanic degeneracy and only time will tell how far Russia’s  journey towards insignificance goes.

The Orange Superlative: One year into the Trump administration and we are presented with the makings of a new emperor. Elevating America’s big to bigly and better to best, ”probably the biggest and best you have ever seen,” as he claims responsibilty for just about everything excepting the disaster both in real time and impending that he has brought to the once United States. Cold and calculating are the least usable adjectives when describing Trump’s erratic politics of repetitive u-turns. If he were my uncle I would have had him commited long ago unless of course he was making me rich.

Winnie the Pooh: Don’t let looks fool you, it’s Xi the cold and calculating dragon under the outfit. Cold and calculating being at present stabilizing qualities to be appreciated in the nutty world of Maga and Mir, protecting the planet not from evil but from any eventually devastating irrationalities (read nuclear) the other two clowns might come up with.

And so to Little Bear: the EU that strikes fear into them all. A fear that autocrats have shared for centuries, a fear of the people, a people with a voice who will not suffer the strong feathering their nests at the expense of the weak, who will not suffer the subjugation of other countries, who insist on the rule of law and equity before it. Once just a bundle of war torn countries now an organisation based on diversity, strong enough to have been recognized as a threat by the enemies of democracy.  The step from common economic to include common military strength has been recognised as unavoidable as has the necessity of adjusting the boundaries of national interest vis a vis the interests of the union. The path to federalism has yet to be staked out although considering that the world order we have lived with since 1945 has ended up in the trash can, it would seem only to be a matter of time. 

Wishing all of you who stand by Ukraine and her fight for freedom and democracy, a prosperous and successful New Year.