2017-02-23
Danika Potter
Viewed from across the world, Sweden seems like the ideal of what a modern nation should be. Free and high quality education and healthcare, humane treatment of refugees, pushing for equality across many fields and proud of its pristine nature – it almost sounds too good to be true. I lived in Sweden for 3 years, and during that time my preconceived notions of Sweden were in many cases challenged, but in others strengthened by what I saw and experienced.
While nationalism seemed to rise in Sweden and the rest of Europe, I also saw the strengthening of other political parties such as the Feminist Initiative (Feministiskt initiativ) or F!, which is currently the most popular party not in parliament. Even more powerful is the Green Party (Miljöpartiet de gröna), which grew from a minor party in the 80s to become one of the most influential in the Swedish parliament. From its current position as a junior partner in coalition with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti) which has held power since 2014, the Green Party has opposed moves to tighten immigration reform and cuts to education and the environment. However being in the coalition has come at a cost.
The Green Party was founded in 1981 following a referendum on nuclear energy, and became a fixture in parliament in the early 90s. Since its inception, the party has had two spokespersons rather than one leader, with the positions always shared between a man and a woman. The positions are currently held by Isabella Lövin, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, and Gustav Fridolin. The party considers the environment, womens rights, solidarity and peace to be the basis for its policies, and supports the ideas of diversity and a sustainable future. In the words of their party program, 'Our political goal is a society that lives within natures limits, realizing our deep interdependence on each other.'[[{"attributes":{},"fields":{}}]]
In practice this has lead to pushes for Sweden to use 100% renewable energy, investment in climate-smart housing and the UN Convention on the Rights of Children being made law, as well as many other achievements. There have however been controversies, such as in 2016 when an old speech resurfaced in which Mehmet Kaplan, Green Party member and then Minister for Housing and IT, was reported to compare Israels treatment of Palestine to that of Germanys treatment of the Jews in the 1930s. Combined with a photograph of him meeting with extremist members of a far-right Turkish organisation, the controversy lead to him stepping down. With the previous co-spokesperson stepping down amid another controversy and another member attacked in the media for refusing to shake a female journalists hand, the public trust in the party fell to a 10 year low in 2016, though it would rise in time for the election in September. These controversies, which primarily focused on members who were born outside of Sweden, also highlights the growing suspicion of the 'other, and tensions between what is and isnt considered acceptable within Swedish society.
What relevance does this have for us in Australia? At the core, both the Swedish Green Party and the Australian Greens consider the environment, human rights and a sustainable future as part of their foundations. They both use engagement with the community, use a status as junior partner or opposition to guide politics, and are often favoured by younger voters. They both share an opposition to nuclear power as part of their foundation, and were established around the same time. The major differences come from the countries in which they operate, which have vastly different histories and political cultures. As a country with a Socialist background, what would be considered to be the centre of the political spectrum in Sweden is in many ways further to the left than that of Australia.
Currently being in a coalition with the party in power, the Green Party in Sweden has more power to make changes but at the same time takes more responsibility for decisions made that the community disagrees with. Throughout their history they have emphasised diversity and equality, working towards a vision of Sweden as a country that helps those who need help and speaks up against injustice. These are themes that supporters of the Australian Greens can relate to, and by considering how other countries deal with global changes and the environment, we can be better prepared to approach the challenges that lie before us.
Header photo: Isabella Lövin simultaneously signing a new climate law and mocking a recent photo of President Trump. Johan Schiff
Text photo: Swedish Greens Spokespersons, Isabella Lövin and Gustav Fridolin. Fredrik Hjerling