Re-election time in Sweden – a possible democratic gamechanger?

By Vladan Lausevic

One of the main political developments in Sweden at the moment is the upcoming process of re-election. The governing green-left coalition, consisting of the Social-Democratic Party and Green Party with indirect support from the Liberal Party and Center Party, has lost the no-confidence vote this Monday.

The no-confidence vote was triggered by the Left Party that opposed the government’s agenda of liberalising parts of the housing market. The debate was about whether new rental flats in Sweden would be constructed outside of the current public/government rent regulations system.

This development is interesting from a democratic perspective. Compared to several other EU countries such as Spain, Belgium, and Austria, where re-elections and short-term governments are “normal”, Sweden’s case is the opposite. The Social-Democratic prime minister Stefan Loefven even stated that – “It is not responsible for threatening with a government crisis”.

As a political scientist and liberal-opinion maker (market-liberal think-tank Timbro), Andreas Johansson Heinoe argues, it is not the case that a government crisis is equal to a social crisis. He proposes that the re-election should not lead to the formation of a new government mandate for four years but to forming a new parliament (Riksdag) with a mandate until the regular elections take place in September 2022.

Johansson Heinoe also writes that Swedish voters are voting less often than voters in any other democratic country. This is partly to do with the system of common election day when Swedes with voting rights are voting at local, regional and national elections on the same day. A re-election development before the end of this year could be part of a change where there will be different voting days in Sweden.

Photo by Jon Flobrant via Unsplash

Vladan Lausevic is active as opinion-maker and co-founder of Syntropia community for democracy based in Sweden.