Truth missing in party leaders' talks

Shortly after the Eu parliamentary elections last Sunday, June 7 this year - the leaders of Sweden's two biggest parties gave glowing views on the result of the elections. Mona Sahlin, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party stated that "it was blowing red-green winds" while Moderate Party leader and current Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt spoke of "success" made in the elections.

DN Columnist Peter Wolodarski questioned such statements as lacking truth and pointed out that both parties were losers as they lost supporters to the Liberal and Green Parties. Such lack of candidness contributes to falsity in the public debate, and if both party leaders cannot admit the truth of losing, then who else would?

Those who made big inroad into the EU elections were smaller parties, even one new upstart whose pro-EU views were better understood by voters. For one, the Social Democratic Party prominently placed as its first candidate a known anti-EU politician. The Green Party which made a dramatic switch towards EU membership drew strong votes and went up from 6 to 11 percent. For most Swedes, membership in the EU is a certainty which makes anti-EU politicians less palatable to the voters.

The Swedish EU election had a low electoral turnout which indicated a lack of interest among voters, if not a lack of good knowledge on how exactly the politics in Brussels affect the individual lives of every Swedish citizen. The success of the newly-started Pirat Party and the Sverigedemokraterna is an indication of discontent among a majority of the Swedish electorate, creating a state of apprehension not just for the forthcoming national elections in 2010, but in how Sweden will cope with a deepening economic crisis.#