'Jimmie, Jimmie, Jimmie': The Local's ABBA guide to Sweden's election
Sweden's complicated political system with a total of eight parliamentary parties can make it difficult to keep up with the ins and outs of Swedish politics. Here's our guide to the election using the universal language of ABBA songs.
Social Democrat leader and current Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will be asking voters to Take a Chance on Me on Sunday, as she stands in a Swedish election for the first time. Andersson took over from her predecessor Stefan Löfven back in November last year, and will be hoping that she has impressed voters enough in the last nine months to hold on to power.
Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson, informal leader of the opposition and the man most likely to become Sweden's prime minister if the right-wing bloc wins, may be thinking Should I Laugh or Cry at the moment, after the Sweden Democrats overtook his party in the polls a few weeks ago.
Despite polling at some of their worst figures in decades, the Moderates have still got a chance of their bloc winning the election, meaning that Waterloo could be a better song for his party as he accepts his fate to potentially govern alongside the Sweden Democrats: "I was defeated, you won the war. Promise to love you forevermore. Couldn't escape if I wanted to. Knowing my fate is to be with you".
"How could I ever refuse? I feel like I win when I lose".
The Sweden Democrats' leader Jimmie Åkesson will be hoping that the Moderates will Gimme Gimme Gimme (or should that be Jimmie Jimmie Jimmie?) some ministerial posts in government if they win, and may even take over their offices in Sweden's parliament if they cement their status as Sweden's second-largest party come Sunday.
"Gimme Gimme Gimme some posts in your government..." Photo: Christine Olsson/TT
Andersson on the other hand is still holding out hope for the Liberals - who have pledged allegiance to the right-wing bloc after previously supporting the Social Democrats - to switch back to her side after the next election.
As recently as August 24th in her party leader interview on public broadcaster SVT, Andersson said she would rather govern with the Liberals rather than the Left Party, letting Liberal Party leader Johan Pehrson know I Still Have Faith in You.
"There was a union of heart and mind," the song goes, "the likes of which are rare and oh-so hard to find."
The Social Democrats are currently the ruling party and largest party in parliament, but they will not be able to govern without asking other parties - most likely the Greens, Centre and Left - "Voulez Vous (do you want) to form a government?" after the election.
The Left Party are likely to be thinking Ring Ring, "why don't you give me a call?" if their bloc comes out on top on Sunday, hoping that the Social Democrats will offer them a place in government in return for their support. "Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall," as the song goes. "I sit all alone impatiently, won't you please understand the need in me? So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call?"
I Have a Dream is perhaps the best fit for Centre Party's leader Annie Lööf, who has reluctantly sided with the Social Democrats in protest against the Sweden Democrats being welcomed into the right-wing bloc.
Her real dream would be a government spanning the centre of politics, pulling together the Social Democrats, Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats (and perhaps also the Greens), to exclude the two most right-wing and most left-wing parties: the Left and the Sweden Democrats.
With the Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats firmly on the side of the Sweden Democrats, this looks more and more unlikely.
Ebba Busch and her falukorv. Photo: Christine Olsson/TT
For the Christian Democrats' leader Ebba Busch, this election is all about Money Money Money. Recently seen brandishing a falukorv sausage to make a point about rising food prices, Busch proclaimed in her summer speech that it has "become too expensive to be Swedish," promising to lower what she deems "Magda prices" on fuel by slashing taxes, as well as cutting energy costs for the average Swede.
Finally, the One Man One Woman Green Party co-leaders Märta Stenevi and Per Bolund appear to be the only party in an election following a summer with extreme weather across Europe putting out an S.O.S. and warning of an impending climate crisis, making it a key part of their election manifesto.
Both the Greens and the Liberals have been hovering over the 4 percent threshold needed to hold on to their seats, so they'll be hoping this isn't Our Last Summer in parliament...
With under a week to go until Sweden goes to the polls, it's still neck-and-neck. Will Magdalena Andersson be the Dancing Queen on Sunday, or will Ulf Kristersson come out on top? When All Is Said and Done, though, one thing is for certain.
Comments (1)
See Also
Social Democrat leader and current Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will be asking voters to Take a Chance on Me on Sunday, as she stands in a Swedish election for the first time. Andersson took over from her predecessor Stefan Löfven back in November last year, and will be hoping that she has impressed voters enough in the last nine months to hold on to power.
Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson, informal leader of the opposition and the man most likely to become Sweden's prime minister if the right-wing bloc wins, may be thinking Should I Laugh or Cry at the moment, after the Sweden Democrats overtook his party in the polls a few weeks ago.
Despite polling at some of their worst figures in decades, the Moderates have still got a chance of their bloc winning the election, meaning that Waterloo could be a better song for his party as he accepts his fate to potentially govern alongside the Sweden Democrats: "I was defeated, you won the war. Promise to love you forevermore. Couldn't escape if I wanted to. Knowing my fate is to be with you".
"How could I ever refuse? I feel like I win when I lose".
The Sweden Democrats' leader Jimmie Åkesson will be hoping that the Moderates will Gimme Gimme Gimme (or should that be Jimmie Jimmie Jimmie?) some ministerial posts in government if they win, and may even take over their offices in Sweden's parliament if they cement their status as Sweden's second-largest party come Sunday.
Andersson on the other hand is still holding out hope for the Liberals - who have pledged allegiance to the right-wing bloc after previously supporting the Social Democrats - to switch back to her side after the next election.
As recently as August 24th in her party leader interview on public broadcaster SVT, Andersson said she would rather govern with the Liberals rather than the Left Party, letting Liberal Party leader Johan Pehrson know I Still Have Faith in You.
"There was a union of heart and mind," the song goes, "the likes of which are rare and oh-so hard to find."
The Social Democrats are currently the ruling party and largest party in parliament, but they will not be able to govern without asking other parties - most likely the Greens, Centre and Left - "Voulez Vous (do you want) to form a government?" after the election.
The Left Party are likely to be thinking Ring Ring, "why don't you give me a call?" if their bloc comes out on top on Sunday, hoping that the Social Democrats will offer them a place in government in return for their support. "Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall," as the song goes. "I sit all alone impatiently, won't you please understand the need in me? So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call?"
I Have a Dream is perhaps the best fit for Centre Party's leader Annie Lööf, who has reluctantly sided with the Social Democrats in protest against the Sweden Democrats being welcomed into the right-wing bloc.
Her real dream would be a government spanning the centre of politics, pulling together the Social Democrats, Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats (and perhaps also the Greens), to exclude the two most right-wing and most left-wing parties: the Left and the Sweden Democrats.
With the Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats firmly on the side of the Sweden Democrats, this looks more and more unlikely.
For the Christian Democrats' leader Ebba Busch, this election is all about Money Money Money. Recently seen brandishing a falukorv sausage to make a point about rising food prices, Busch proclaimed in her summer speech that it has "become too expensive to be Swedish," promising to lower what she deems "Magda prices" on fuel by slashing taxes, as well as cutting energy costs for the average Swede.
Finally, the One Man One Woman Green Party co-leaders Märta Stenevi and Per Bolund appear to be the only party in an election following a summer with extreme weather across Europe putting out an S.O.S. and warning of an impending climate crisis, making it a key part of their election manifesto.
Both the Greens and the Liberals have been hovering over the 4 percent threshold needed to hold on to their seats, so they'll be hoping this isn't Our Last Summer in parliament...
With under a week to go until Sweden goes to the polls, it's still neck-and-neck. Will Magdalena Andersson be the Dancing Queen on Sunday, or will Ulf Kristersson come out on top? When All Is Said and Done, though, one thing is for certain.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.