Thriller Ends In A Toss-Up

Yesterday 6,328,643 (84.4%) of the Swedish electorate voted and created what pundit's call "an interesting parliamentary situation", others (like myself) would rather call it a royal mess.

Swedish politics has for the last two decades been dominated by two parliamentary "blocks". One side, called "the red/green mess", consisting of the Social Democratic Party and the Green Party with additional support from the Left Party. The other side, called"the Alliance", consisting of the Moderate Party (previously Right Party), the Christian Democratic Party, the Center Party, and the Liberals.

The blocks have over time been fairly even, with the tides turning one way or the other and splitting the 349 seats of the Swedish parliament in various ways.

Three elections ago the Sweden Democrats walked on to the parliamentary scene. First in a small way, then increasing four years ago and finally increasing a bit again this year (although far from their own expectations). They were hoping to become the largest or at least the second largest party in the parliament and get close to 25% of the votes. That did not happen!

Election Night ended with the red/green mess having 144 seats in parliament, the Alliance with 143 seats and the Sweden Democrats with 62. All the other parties stated emphatically that they would have nothing to do with the Sweden Democrats, nor work with them or rely on their support in any way.

None of the blocks can form a government with reliable support without someone from the opposing block. This will hopefully lead to the end of the bloody ironclad political blocks, but it still remains to see how it will turn-out.  

So there are still some final votes to be tallied, about 150, 000, which will happen on Wednesday. However, even if a seat could be moved one of the blocks to the other it will not in any way change the situation. 

It will be two interesting weeks to follow the maneuverings of the politicians until the parliament reconvenes to elect a prime minister.

Civic Duty - Voting ✓

Today the nation in the European Union named the Kingdom of Sweden is having elections for the national, regional and local parliaments.

I have, of course, performed my duty to democracy, myself, my friends and family, my compatriots, my nation and for all future generations by casting my vote on one of the democratic parties running for election. I will keep my votes to myself, as is my democratic right, however, I will reveal one of the parties I did not vote for in any of the elections.

I did not vote for The Sweden Democrats, because it is a populist, anti-intellectual, xenophobic, Islamophobic party, infested by Nazi ghouls from the past and Neo-Nazis from the present.

Their solution to every political problem they encounter is simple and easy and speaks to the lowest and most vile common denominator within the Swedish population and is not based on factual evidence at all but on thoughts, feelings, and beliefs based on prejudice.

Areas of politics and the Sweden Democrats solution

Healthcare:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Housing Shortage:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Terrorism:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Finances:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Taxes:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Immigration:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Education:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Defense:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Daycare:
"Bla, bla, bla and then we kick out the immigrants, the refugees, and the Muslims and send them back to where they came from. Sweden will be back to what it was in the early 50's when life was beautiful."

Etc, etc, ad infinitum!

Welcome England & Wales

PinkNews, Europe's largest gay news service, today reports:

"The equal marriage bill for England and Wales was today given Royal Assent, and is now officially law.

The Queen’s Royal Assent was granted to the bill on Wednesday at 15:06, turning it into the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, after clearing the final stage in Parliament yesterday, following two hours of debate, and the introduction of government amendments.

The bill officially became law once its Royal Assent was announced in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Conservative MP David Burrowes had tabled an amendment and was yesterday again accused of trying to delay implementation of the bill. Pro-equal marriage MPs padded out their speeches so that Mr Burrowes could not propose his amendment.

The equal marriage bill was passed in the House of Commons, and as all amendments added in the House of Lords were accepted, it will not be required to go back to the Lords.

The first same-sex marriages in England and Wales will take place in summer 2014."

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It was especially pleasing to note that Queen Elizabeth II didn't waste any time in giving her assent to this legislation. As a commenter at JoeMyGod says, "As a Queen she knows, queens don't like to be kept waiting."

As I understand it the reason for the long delay before same-sex marriages can begin in England and Wales is the impact the new law has on many other laws which now also need to be amended  to be consistent. For a Swede this may seem strange, as we always take the necessary changes into consideration and amend them at the same time as we adopt a new law.  Every country has its own traditions and as long as they get it right in the end all ways are acceptable.