The Right Stuff

An opinion poll in Sweden has predicted that the parties in the centre-right Alliance for Sweden are pipped to receive the largest share of the vote for the first time since 1914. This would be a huge victory for Freidrik Reinfeldt, the Moderate party, and the ruling coalition and would likely result in calls for the embattled Mona Sahlin to stand down as leader of the Social Democrats, and the opposition Red-Green coalition. For Frederik Reinfeldt the victory would lend considerable momentum to the party as Sweden takes over presidency of the European Council from Jan Fischer and the Czech Republic on the 1st July.

Sweden's presidency is likely to concentrate on the environment, through renewable energy and efficiency targets. Sweden is one of the few countries in the world that has succeeded in increasing economic growth whilst reducing CO2 emissions. This has led to Sweden being considered world leaders in climate change strategy and Sweden will represent the EU at the climate change summit in Copenhagen in December. Reinfeldt recently congratulated Barack Obama on what was a complete sea-change in environmental policy after he assumed office. Such a victory, in providing added confidence and impetus to Friedrik Reinfeldt therefore, may prove to not only be good for Sweden, but good for the world too.

The far left Vänsterpartiet, and eurosceptic Junilistan, are also set to lose their vote share reducing the seats that they hold from two to one. Neither parties would garner much sympathy from me, one was formerly called themeselves communists, and both are endemically eurosceptic and isolationist, both of which I consider foolish, particularly in today's economic climate.

However the biggest gains of the election may be the, until recently unheard of, Pirate Party who are set to capture a respectable share of the vote, having become the fourth largest party in Sweden almost over-night. The popularity of the party soared after the four founders of the Pirate Bay were sentenced to a year in prison on April 17th for running the world's largest file-sharing website. Perhaps most worrying about this trend is the fact that the party has very little in the way of policy on anything other than civil liberties, copyright law and the internet. Do Swedish citizens really want e-privateers, who have no clear policy on trade issues, or the environment, representing their interests in Brussels? I for one would not. One cannot have representatives who stand for nothing. I say let us not foolishly raise the Jolly Roger in Brussels.

Vote Blue, Get Homaphobic, Climate Change Denying Right Wingers

This Times article suggests that although David Cameron may be wooing voters with his green credentials and centrist platform, but his candidates may have other ideas. A survey by Conservative Home has advised that significant percentages of prospective Tory MPs are not supportive of gay adoption, are not concerned with climate change and would like to see an alteration to the funding formula for the devolved nations. This would cause problems for Cameron if he is follow his stated policy of reducing the tax burdern on families with environmental taxes and raise spending on health.

Furthermore he may find his relationship with Alex Salmond strained if the Barnett formula is abolished or significantly reduced, which can only strengthen the voice for independence, upsetting the unionists in the party. Indeed the only thing Cameron can rely upon in his candidates is his own ill-thought out Euroscepticism. The mood of the moment on the political landscape appears to be that the Tories are assured the next election. That's as well as may be, but what about damage limitation? What bills a Conservative government can pass does of course depend upon their overall majority, and the less seats they hold, the less likely that abhorrent views on gay adoption and damaging policies on the environment, and Europe, are promulgated.