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Tag archives for politics

Volunteering on election day

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Socializing across party lines. Photo: Kajsa

When the Swedes went to the polls on Sunday, we were many who volunteered for the various parties outside the polling stations.

Overall, it is difficult to get people to engage in politics, and it is especially difficult in a small community like the one that I live in. Yet we were four people from different parties who handed out the ballots to voters during most of the day.

This is the task of the party volunteers on election day — to stand outside the polling station and with a smile hand over the party’s ballots to voters. It is forbidden to agitate and it is not allowed to stand inside the polling station. Luckily it did not rain for more than five minutes during the entire day.

You might think there’d be heated discussions between the party volunteers who “compete” side by side all day long, but it’s absolutely not like that! The greatest harmony reigns, and it’s actually very nice. The latest gossip is discussed and we all help each other if necessary. It is a really nice way to spend your day.

Kajsa

September 21, 2010

Will the films make a difference in the general election?

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Now that we’ve had a look at the iPhone applications and billboards the different parties use to promote themselves, I think it’s time for some TV commercials! Translations are just below every short film.

The Social Democratic Party focuses on unemployment among youth:

“207 000 young persons are just waiting to enter the game. We cannot wait.”

So does the Moderate Party:

“Love at work. One of many reasons why more people should have a job. Nya Moderaterna (The New Moderate Party). Sweden’s only workers’ party.”

The Center Party is doing the same with this film:

- What’s going to come out of this little powerhouse?
- I’ve been thinking of letting him take courses at the Public Employment Service.

-When I grow up I want to be “utlasad”. (very hard to translate this very Swedish word – it basically means losing your job because you were the last one they hired…)

-Are you going to be a pro?
-No, I want to be on unemployment benefits, like my dad!

-What do you want to do when you’re done with school?
-Most of all, I’d like to go from one internship to another.
-How exciting!

-One month to go, after that it’s unemployment measures for me!

Voice-over: Are we going back to a Sweden built on benefits, or shall we have real jobs in new companies? It’s up to you!

The Green Party is more into green topics:

“All around us there are people working for the environment. Now it’s time for a government that does the same. Modernize Sweden!”

When it comes to the Christian Democratic Party, it’s more of an animal theme…

“We want a more humane Sweden.”

So, what do you think – would any of these films make you give the party your vote?

/Mikaela

Mikaela

September 16, 2010

Wake them up!

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Debates, billboards, flyers and political slogans in every corner.  But one campaign caught my attention. It’s the “Wake the politicians up” by Amnesty International in Sweden.

In my job I hear a lot of positive things about Sweden from the outside world and I take a lot of pride in the areas where Sweden is a role model. But apparently this is not always the case. It appears that torture has not yet been criminalized according to Swedish law. Of course battery is illegal in Sweden, but torture does not fall under a specific penal code. How come?

According to the Amnesty campaign persons guilty of torture can not be convicted for this explicit crime but rather for misdeeds such as kidnapping, battery, etc, which hides the systematic cruelty of the crime.

Swedish politicians sleeping like babies.

Swedish politicians sleeping like babies.

To wake one or more politicians up, go here and use the alarm bell: http://www4.amnesty.se/vackpolitikerna/

/Cecilia

Cecilia Sundstrand

September 14, 2010

Sweden’s political parties — same same but different

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Swedish election campaigns 2010. Left, the center–right Alliance: “Forward or backward?” Middle, the Green Party: “If you don’t know what to vote for, vote for the environment!” Right, the Social Democrats: “207,000 young people long to show their potential.”

Spent yesterday doing research on political parties in Sweden. In September Sweden.se will focus on the upcoming election (September 19) by covering Swedish politics and Swedish society in general, so I’m preparing some relevant content. Among other things, David Wiles will make a brilliant summary of what the main parties in Sweden stand for.

Looking at the Swedish Election Authority website (Valmyndigheten), I was baffled by the number of parties registered in Sweden: 768! Funny, then, that the seven parties now in parliament (the Moderates, the Liberals, the Center Party, the Christian Democrats, the Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Left Party) are all so similar that it’s really difficult to know which one to vote for.

Over the last few years, all Swedish parties seem to have moved toward the center of the political scale. And to make matters even worse, the four center–right parties (the Moderates, the Liberals, the Center Party and the Christian Democrats) and the three center–left parties (the Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Left Party) have formed coalitions. In other words, even if you manage to choose one party to vote for, you’ll still end up with a coalition government built on political compromises. It’s a tough job exercising ones democratic right.

You’re probably still wondering about what the other 761 parties are. Well, among them are many local one-issue parties, started by an individual or a group of individuals with a very particular cause. The local party SOS Tomelilla wants to save the small town of Tomelilla from collapse. The national party Enhet (Unity) aims to “introduce loving visions into the politics in order to create a more human society.” Just to give you two examples.

Who knows, maybe it’s time to go crazy and vote for something like Jongleringspartiet (the Juggling Party), which strives for more juggling in society whenever and wherever possible, just to show that we need new life in Swedish politics, with parties that actually differ from one another. And why not throw in a leader with some charisma as well? /Emma

The Juggling Party: “Do you think that the other parties just talk rather than juggle? Vote for the Juggling Party!”

Emma

August 12, 2010

A lobbyist’s wet dream

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Minister of Trade Ewa Björling, policy advisor, author and researcher Simon Anholt and acting Director-General of the Swedish Institute Thomas Carlhed.

We (Per and Rikard) are writing from Gotland, the Swedish equivalent of Hawaii, or some such holiday retreat. Our journey began with a delayed flight at one of the smallest airports in the world, or at least Bromma felt like one of the smallest airports in the world after a couple of hours wait with nothing but a free cup of joe to entertain us. But things quickly turned to the better when we landed in Visby, took a cab to the hotel and set up the camera and microphones. Once the gear was in place we went out in the sun and had a bite to eat. Visby is buzzing right now, during Almedalen Week (in literal English translation: The Elm Valley Week).

Almedalen is a park in Visby, which serves as the hub of the Almedalen Week. It’s a bit crazy, to say the least, what with lobbyists and politicians, rights groups and unions all trying to make their voice heard. Visby is thick with speeches, seminars and other political activities. It’s a lobbyist wet dream. And why are we here? We’re recordning and observing a seminar and panel discussion on “The Image of Sweden Abroad”.

We’re learning that Sweden, like most countries, are trying to change the way people perceive their country, and that it is an uphill battle. We’re Sweden, no matter what we do. If you think that means gorgeous blondes and peace, well, that’s who we are. And if you confuse us with Switzerland, I guess in your mind we’re making watches and knives. Some might think we’re good at csr and the environment, while others believe we’re depressed and arrogant. Nothing doing…or is there? We feel at least we have to try, as we don’t see ourselves as homogenous and blond, suicidal or particularly arrogant.

We’re contemplating that question right now while we’re sitting in gorgeous Visby, working. We’re soon off to interview some people on the streets, to find out what they think about Swedish politics, about equality and the Swedish model. And by showing Sweden to those with an interest, perhaps we actually will manage to steer a few people away from the stereotypical views of Swedes. Time will tell.

/Per and Rikard

Rikard Lagerberg

July 7, 2010