Changes in Norway
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Scandinavian history as a strength of developmental democracy has been affected by voters in the last two decades – but to fight Norway’s Labor Party in Monday’s election has helped change the picture.
The result means that for the first time since 2001 all three countries in the region, including Denmark and Sweden, will have senior democratic ministers. The rematch on the left also has its leaders looking for the biggest prize: German chancellorship, where a Social Democrat MP Olaf Scholz leading elections before September 26.
“Sweden, Denmark, Finland and now we are. There is something going on – and we should see what happens in Berlin in two weeks. I think in the Corona plague people are asking for one right answer. We have seen that group differences have grown. . . all over Europe, ”Anniken Huitfeldt, a Labor lawyer who prefers to be a foreign minister, told the Financial Times.
SPD experts in Berlin have been referring to Scandinavia as a symbol of what could happen in Germany. But the reality of the democratic return of northern Europe is more and more.
In Norway, Labor came first – as has been the case since every election since 1924. But it gained the second-highest rate in 97 years, receiving only 26.4 percent of the vote. This was even worse than in 2017 – when Jonas Gahr Store, the Labor leader now wants to become prime minister, said the results were “extremely disappointing”.
Likewise, in the last general election in Sweden in 2018, democracy was severely criticized since 1908 but remained in power.
The reason is simple. The political scene in Scandinavia and throughout Europe is fragmented. The Norwegian parliament will have 10 parties in it.
The work also gained momentum especially behind the strong demonstration of other supporting parties. He should try to rule in a three-party alliance with the rural party and the Socialist Left. Overall, the parties to the left of Labor won 24 out of 100 middle-left seats.
“What is happening is that the democracies that were in their culture were very strong but now there is division and there are no major political parties. Look at the German elections. They preferred to be ruled by the two. Popular parties, of the Social and Christian Democrats, 40 years old [per cent] and now we are competing with them for 20 years, ”said Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.
He also said that the division was “showing the regions to be diverse” meaning that “past politics no longer worked”.
The pressure on democracy for Scandinavian people has been fueled by the growth of the right parties, which have attracted voters from the left in Denmark and Sweden in particular. But in Norway the well-known Progress party has faced some of the worst elections since 1993.
In Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, the left Prime Minister since 2019, has pushed for democratic immigration to question the removal of the Danish People’s populist.
He told FT before his election: “What I think is the most important thing in a democratic party is important. Can you find answers to the problems that people are facing?”
The Store told Labor officials that “eventually there will be a change for the common people in this country” as they seek to address the growing inequality in Norway.
But they are faced with the daunting task of forming a united government. The beloved unionist union would have had a majority in parliament but there could be serious disagreements between its three parties over the future of the oil market – Norway is the largest oil producer in western Europe – to the European level.
Negotiations could be even more difficult if the Store seeks the support of mature left-wing parties – communists Red, and Greens – but still have to deal with the Center populist party, the most successful Monday.
“Terrorists make leadership a very difficult task. Jonas has to deal with the Center party – all the best for him, “Bildt said.
At the resumption of the Scandinavian democracy, there is also speculation in the region that the center-right will return as an opponent in the next election.
Central Minister for the Middle East Erna Solberg told FT this year that the capital and the right have been in control of the same since left.
“This is our time in the sun,” said a middle-aged Swedish official. “But anyone who thinks this will last forever is wrong.”