Sweden Swings to the Right

That is what observers expect from tomorrow’s election, anyway: “Far-right poised for big wins in Sweden election.”

The anti-immigration far-right is expected to soar in Sweden’s September 9 general election, capitalising on voter discontent as Swedes punish traditional parties over immigration, integration and health care.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven’s Social Democrats, who have dominated Swedish politics since the 1930s, will remain the biggest party in the country but likely with a record low score, polls suggest.

The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) are heading to make the most gains and come in a close second, followed by the conservative Moderates.

Bloomberg has a heartwarming headline: “Panic Grips Swedish Establishment Facing an Election Beating.” It is nearly impossible to get objective reporting from Europe where immigration is concerned:

The birthplace of Ikea flat packs and Volvo cars is starting to look just as vulnerable to the populist movement as Italy, Hungary and the U.S.

A bastion of welfare and equality, Sweden faces an election on Sunday that could be its most tumultuous in a century. As in other democracies across the world, the establishment is being challenged on multiple fronts.

Yes, for good reasons.

For a country that prides itself on stability and is seen as a model for social democracy across the world, the development is hard to grasp. But voters are now flocking to a party that was born of Sweden’s neo-Nazi, white supremacist movement.

Oh, please. This is the sort of brain-dead reporting that portrays all concerns about mass immigration as “far right.” Swedes who don’t like the direction in which their country is going are not “neo-Nazis” or “white supremacists.”

The established parties are pulling out all the stops in an effort to maintain the status quo. The Moderates are promising tax cuts and the Social Democrats are offering families an extra week off work. Both want increased spending on healthcare and education. They also pledging to crack down on crime and further restrict immigration, allowing the Sweden Democrats to set the debate.

So the established parties are catering to the neo-Nazis and white supremacists? Or are they acknowledging that skepticism of mass Islamic immigration is legitimate?

The nationalist groundswell has coincided with a record inflow of migrants and refugees. About 600,000 people flooded into the nation of 10 million over the past five years, straining public coffers and offsetting a broader drop in unemployment.

That corresponds to an influx of over 19 million immigrants, almost all Middle Eastern, into the United States. It is remarkable that anyone can be surprised that such a massive demographic change will create problems and resistance. But the liberal press is doggedly and deliberately obtuse.

We will comment further when Sweden’s returns are in.

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