Scandinavian model must comply with EU rules, says McCreevy

Once more, we return to the Vaxholm conflict. The Commission seems to have made up their minds and they're not backing down. What they don't realise is the effect this conflict is having in the Swedish labour movement. This is one of those rare things that is actually changing peoples minds.

If the Commission wins, foreign companies won't have to comply with the rules on the Swedish labour market. Many people, especially in the Stockholm area, are likely to get a painful reduction in pay. Sweden will be forced to introduce legislation on a minimum wage, something the Swedish labour movement always have been against. (With good reason: Wages should be set by negotiations between the workers and employers, not by legislation from the state.)

And all this because of a ruling in a foreign court...

This is not what the labour movement signed up to when they agreed to join the EU.

The only poll that matters...

Three different polls were presented this weekend, and they're definitely worth a mention.

According to SIFO the June-list will get slightly more than 4% and hold the balance of power in the Riksdag. If you prefer to trust the Ruab institute the June-list will even get 4,8%.
But according to another polling institute, Skop, they only have between one and two percent. And even that isn't so bad. After all, they've only been in national politics for a forthnight.

So what to make of all this? Well, the June-list will continue to generate interest in the media. Their programme and their candidates will now be the subject of some serious scrutiny. That's a risk as well as an opportunity. The June-list is now a player in Swedish politics and congratulations are in order.

But what of the Green Party? Have we been struck hard by the rise of the June-List?

Well... according to Skop that is not so. The Greens has even had a "statistically secure" increase to 5,9% (+2,1%) nationally. If this is true, that is a very good result. But then again, according to SIFO we've had a "statistically secure" drop down to 4,3% (-1,8%). Not so good. Considering our recent, high profile struggle for the rights of asylum seekers, it's actually quite bad. The thruth however, is likely to be somewhere in between.

But polls are just polls. The only one that matters is the big one next September.

The June List has entered national politics

The June List, the new Swedish eurosceptic party that made such a success in the EU-elections has today announced that they are going to stand in the elections to the Riksdag next September. The June List got 14% in the euros, and sit with Jens-Peder Bonde and UKIP in the EU-parliament. The June List is a single issue party with leading members from both sides of the political spectrum, but they are most often percieved as being right of centre. So far, they have done well, even though they haven't had any spectacular successes in the EU-parliament.

Under the swedish electoral system a party needs 4% nationwide in order to enter the Riksdag, so this election will not be easy for them. But their announcement has been met with some interest in the media, and they could have a lot of impact on the election.

In fact, it's quite possible that their decision to stand will decide the outcome. The withdrawalist Green Party is sometimes uncomfortably close to the 4%, and the Christian Democrats, with their euroceptic electorate is sometimes even below it. If the Christian Democrats fail to reach the 4%, the right wing Alliance is unlikely to be able to form a government. Similarly, the left is going to need the Green Party.

Professor Sören Holmberg makes some remarks about how the June List could cost the Alliance the majority in parliament in todays Svenska Dagbladet.

UPDATE:
An internet poll on Aftonbladet today gives the June List a surprising 16%. (The poll has had 81 000 participants so far.) Of course the respondents are a self selected group of politically interested people with internet access, but the June List might have a lot better chances than what is commonly assumed.

MORE:
Read this blog's guide to the Swedish political parties.