Should Sweden’s Social Democrats worry about their dwindling support?
Support for the Social Democrats has dropped in 250 out of Sweden’s 290 municipalities, preliminary election results show. Is Social Democracy in decline in Sweden?
Previous Social Democratic strongholds like the northern region of Norrland are turning away from the party, municipal election results suggest, and in the national election the party gained just over 28 percent – a relatively low figure, considering the Social Democrat Party was once the dominant force in Swedish politics.
Widar Andersson is an op-ed writer and editor-in-chief of Folkbladet – a newspaper with a Social Democratic editorial line. He was also a Social Democrat MP about 20 years ago.
In this interview with Radio Sweden, Andersson shares his analysis of the state of Social Democracy in Sweden, the role populism played in the election campaigns, and whether or not the left-right divide is obsolete.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Opposition party adopts resolution to give Canada’s North 100% of northern resource royalties, CBC News
Finland: Finnish PM concerned by far-right party’s results in Swedish elections, Yle News
Norway: Rebel region in Arctic Norway slams door on Oslo government, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: High voter turnout delays Sweden’s final election results, Radio Sweden
