Valvaka i Sverige (Whale watching in Sweden - well, more like election night)

I wish I could have voted, not that one vote would have mattered, but still.... the Green Party (Miljöpartiet) could have used one more vote.  Next time Sweden, make sure you send me the complete election package here in the US.   The election result is not reaching Madagascar's levels of chaos and intrigue, but is still historic.

The Alliansen (Alliance) of liberal-conservative parties have led Sweden for the last couple of years and they got the largest share of the votes, but, since for the for time the racism-party Sverigedemokraterna ('Sweden democrats') passed the 4% voting level and get representation with 20 seats in the parliament, the Alliance will not have a majority.  Nobody wants to collaborate with the racists, so now the Alliance will have to try to get the Green Party on their side, which will not be easy.  Only three parties gained more votes in percent than last election - The greens, the racist Sverigedemokraterna, and Moderaterna (the conservatives).  The social democrats, who led Sweden for centuries, had their worst election result since 1914.  That is first World War numbers... when their supporters, workers and such, were attacking the bourgeoisie in the towns and the noble men at the rural mansions, when there were general strikes and no food security, general health care, or welfare support to talk about.  Well, they succeeded in 80 years or so, and now Sweden don't need them anymore because they have what they need. 

Here are the percentages as reported right now, with my little comments for non-Swedes. 


ALLIANSEN: 49,3%   (the conservative-liberal ALLIANCE, generally more liberal in their politics than the Democratic Party in the US)
Centern: 6,6%  (The old farmers' party, used to be environmentally friendly, I am not sure anymore what they stand for)
Folkpartiet: 7,1% ('The People's party, and no, not communists, but the liberal party)
Kristdemokraterna: 5,6% (the Christian Democrats - stands for family values and other things that doesn't really work well in a country were 50% of marriages never happen when kids are born and 50% of the ones that do happen end in divorce)
Moderaterna: 30,0%  ("The Moderates", are not at all moderates, but hard-core conservatives Swedish style (think low taxes for rich, and harsh cuts for poor and sick people).

Rödgröna: 43,6% THE REDGREEN GROUP - named after the red socialists and communists and the green party. 
Socialdemokraterna: 30,8% (Socialdemocratic party - huge party with lots of union support that have lost lots of support among younger voters.  This party built up the Swedish welfare state from the 1930s and onwards.)
Miljöpartiet: 7,2% (The environmental party, the greens; huge boost in this election most from younger people, works for pragmatic and substantial improvements that lead to better sustainability and quality of life.  No longer associated with Birkenstock shoes, homeknitted sweaters of lumpy homespun wool, and impossible utopian goals... at least not so much).
Vänsterpartiet: 5,6%  (The left party - this party was called the Communist Party until the Berlin Wall fell and soon after that they changed their name.  Did I mention that many Swedes are pragmatists?  Anyway, they have a reputation of being very environmentally friendly, but are lost somewhat in a post-USSR swamp.)

Sverigedemokraterna: 5,7%  (the Swedish Democrats, entering the Swedish national parliament for the first time with this election.  They already have seats in several city councils.  Who knows what they really think about many things, since most of their rallying cries are anti-immigration proposals. New York Times article about them here.

All opinions mentioned above are just mine, nobody else's. And I might be very wrong, since I am looking at Sweden from the outside. More from BBC here.