Swedish Anti-Immigration Party Claims Seats

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

STOCKHOLM — Sweden on Sunday became the latest European nation to see a breakthrough for a populist anti-immigration party, when the Sweden Democrats won their first parliamentary seats in elections that failed to produce a clear winner.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who led an alliance of four parties, claimed victory and is almost certain to become the first leader from Sweden’s center-right since World War II to serve two consecutive terms.

But, with almost all the votes counted, projections by Swedish television showed him three short of the 175 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

Nevertheless Mr. Reinfeldt ruled out working with the Sweden Democrats and called on other parties to support him, a declaration that suggested that Sweden may be headed for a minority government.

--snip--

With its high taxes, generous welfare system and culture of egalitarianism, Sweden has been regarded by many outsiders as a bastion of liberalism and tolerance — a place immune from far-right politics.

However, the integration of minorities within this nation of 9.4 million people has become a growing preoccupation, especially in cities that have experienced high rates of immigration.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/world/europe/20sweden.html

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The Guardian reports (Sweden's parliament on a knife edge as far right eats into majority):

Sweden was last night heading for a tightly balanced parliament after elections looked likely to erode the majority commanded by the governing centre-right coalition.Fredrik Reinfeldt, the prime minister, looked likely to beat the Social Democrats easily, making the Moderate Party leader the first non-socialist to win re-election since the 1930s.

Reinfeldt's bid to hold on to power, built on small budget deficits, tax cuts and strong economic growth, is being closely watched by David Cameron. Both leaders have re-branded their parties and entered into partnerships with centrist liberals.

However, Reinfeldt's majority was under threat yesterday from the far-right Sweden Democrats, who have sought to harness anti-immigrant sentiment in a country where one in seven residents is foreign-born.

Let's see, right-wing parties have gained seats in the UK, Australia, Netherlands, and Sweden in their most recent elections. Should those international elections serve as warnings to America?

Also, for some reason, I tend to think that far-left and far-right parties outside America have more political power than in the American two-party system. I mean why else would the Greens have a few seats in the Australian Parliament while the American Green Party be known merely for minority candidates? Why does the anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders's Party for Freedom have a tiny amount of seats in the Dutch legislature while the far-right American parties (American Independent and Constitution) be in the fringe still?

[merqz]

1. Part of the answer is proportional representation

In many countries, if a party gets 10% of the votes, they get (about) 10% of the legislative seats. Our system is winner takes all, in each race, which tends to make minority parties effective as spoiler (see: Ross Perot or Ralph Nader) but not in terms of getting seats for themselves.

[pampango]

2. Actually the far-right BNP lost all the local seats (never had any national) it had in the last

election.

In Sweden at least all the parties have stated they will refuse to negotiate with their far-right party. Let's hope they stick to that commitment.

[alp227]

4. Obama's negotiated A LOT with the Republicans except with the Bush tax cuts expiration

I agree. Negotiation sometimes ain't the best option.

[Ken Burch]

5. Unlike "mainstream conservatives" in this country, the center-right in Sweden

has NEVER made devil's bargains with bigots.

[CJvR]

3. No.

In a majority election system the challenge will usually come from inside the parties rather than from new praties poping up. Consider the difficulty the UK Liberal party have of breaking through despite high vote %, each Liberal MP litteraly represtents many times more voters than any Labour or Tory MP.

[harmonicon]

6. you're comparing apples to oranges

I think it's an open secret that the Republican party is the far right party in the US. It's known that most Republican (or at least a very large number) are racists, anti-muslim, bordering on neo-fascist. However, they give a kind of lip-service to diversity.

Regardless of that, all of these countries have different political systems than ours. I really have no idea what parties we'd have if we had a parliamentary system, proportional representation, or run-off voting.

[War Horse]

7. sigh...

An FB friend of mine is all giddy about this and keeps posting pro SD stuff... You think you know someone. Don't know whether to just defriend or engage in some sort of debate...

As for any links between the US/European far right - if you check out sites like Atlas Shrugs (Pam Geller) and the The Brussels Journal, for example, you'll find plenty of stuff. Although I guess this is not news to you or most DUers.