Friday, September 15, 2006

Swedish Election 2006

Yesterday was election day in Sweden!


I was down at the city library of Göteborg and voted. I'm holding up the ticket for the famous Pirate party of piratebay fame. But no, they didn't get my vote. I went down with Jiegen, a Ph.D student from the business school in town. He's held residency in Sweden for more than 3 years, meaning he could actually vote in the regional and local elections (not the national)! I wonder how many mainland Chinese who has actually participated in a free election!

In Sweden you are actually not allowed to put in your vote yourself, so this is someone else's hand putting it in.

As probably most people did, I tested my symphathy with a bunch of online tests. I voted green (mp) in the last election I was quite surprised that they were far down on what should be my preferences. Made things so much easier for me since I wanted a change.

The election was mainly about choosing one of two blocs. The left (S+V+Mp) or the alliance (C+Fp+Kd+M). Who would have thought I would ever vote for a former farmer party (C) !!?

The left which is currently in government lost and the alliance will form the new government.
Today our prime minister will hand in his resignation!

The election results:
Valmyndigheten

Wikipedia

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was actually up until pretty late last night to read some stuff about the election and follow the minute-by-minute result screen on svt. And today coincidentally, two women from my residence committe came to knock at my door and asked me if I wanted to register to vote for the district level of people's representatives...after I've signed my name they told me it will take place on Nov 8th, and I have to go somewhere to vote in person. But I'm really not so sure where I will be at that time, so I said I can't make sure to turn up since I will probably be abroad, they then suggested that I vote not. I don't know a single person of the candidates, so I guess it matters not if I use the right or not, so I chose not to participate, hehe.

I've been asked to vote once before for some reps, when I was in university, but I didn't bother to go to the appointed place, so I quit that time too. So je n'ai jamais voté hehe.

In belgium, it is an obligation to vote, it is breaking the law if you don't vote. But of course, that is a completely different matter from here.

Wen

Johan said...

As far as I know most of those district elections in Chinese cities will only have one candidate, so it shouldn't be too hard to choose. ;)

Anonymous said...

I have the chance to vote in the University. I didn't choose to support anyone since I know nothing about the only 2 candindates at all...

Anonymous said...

So is it compulsory to vote in Sweden? Or if not, what percentage of the 6.8 million eligible voters actually vote?
Glad to hear the Belgians, like the Aussies, are into obliging you to exercise your rights :-D
Any chance of a lady Prime Minister?

Kathryn.

Johan said...

Hi Kathryn! Long time no comment!

It is not compulsory to vote. I don't think there is much support for such thing here. People I know are proud to vote.

81,99% of the eligible voters voted.

Unfortunately there won't be a lady prime minister this time, but since our current prime minister Göran Persson is stepping down, there are demands that his successor as a leader of the Socialdemocratic party will be a woman. There are also a lot of demans that the executive government will continue to consist of 50% women.

the gardener said...

Election? lol. I remember when Dick Cheney or Lora Bush are in town, a circle of diameter 5 miles from their location is blocked out. The visits are not announced. Police simply stop you and ask you to go the other direction. There is outrageous inconvenience to ordinary Americans. There were disastrous traffic jams. Like many, I have to detour 80 miles because all the paths are blocked by police. Is that how the Western government representing people? Is that how the Western government answering to people?

Johan said...

"The Western Government"...

Now, please tell me how the "Eastern Government" moves without causing traffic jams.

Haha... Which planet are you from?

Perhaps more interesting is if you can say how the Chinese government is accountable to its people.