Inside Sweden: Is Swedish politics at risk of losing its greatest strength?
Richard Orange wonders whether the social trust that has made Sweden so successful is disappearing from its politics, before going through the week's stories.
Swedish politics may be facing a crisis in its greatest strength, according to Richard Orange. The Nordic country is renowned for its high level of social trust, which has contributed to its success and unique traits such as buying flats without surveys or lawyers. However, recent events suggest this trust could be waning.
One such incident involved Richard Jomshof, a senior Sweden Democrat, calling a left-wing journalist and another political leader "quislings," a term referring to alleged traitors. Jomshof's claims, supported by a picture of Vidkun Quisling, the former leader of Norway's Nazi puppet government, have raised concerns about the extent of distrust within Swedish politics.
Another disturbing trend is the suspicion surrounding political figures and their potential ties to external sources. Some on the left and center believe far-right parties like the Sweden Democrats, as well as influential social media figures, are funded by Russia or shadowy US dark money. Similarly, Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari and Energy Minister Ebba Busch are alleged to be under the influence of the international oil industry.
These suspicions, while not to be dismissed outright, could negatively impact the smooth and effective political discourse that has defined Sweden's well-functioning society.
Written by urgent.news from The Local Sweden's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
