Swedish right surges in polls as no confidence motion looms over left | Eastern North Carolina Now

 

Sweden's minority government of the Social Democrats and Greens faces the likely loss of a no confidence motion this week and an early election, just when the more conservative parties are surging in the polls.  A huge change in the political landscape has been that the more traditional center-right parties have finally decided to work with the populist nationalist anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, whom they have previously treated as a pariah.  The Sweden Democrats are polling at over 19 percent and forming a center right government without them would be unlikely.

 

In the other Scandanavian countries, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, the populist nationalist anti-immigration right has worked with the traditional right for decades, which is a key factor in Denmark and Norway having some of the toughest immigration laws in western Europe.

 

The Moderate Party and especially the Christian Democrats have been hammering the left on immigration, so it makes sense for them to work with the Sweden Democrats.  Recent polling gives the three parties a 16 point lead over the current government parties.  If the Center Party, which represents rural interests and is a usual ally of the Moderates and Christian Democrats, is added, that makes it a 25 point lead.

 

The Liberal Party, which had helped form the current government, seems to have bailed out of it too late.  The polls indicate they will lose all of their seats in parliament, for the first time in a century and a half.