17-08-2002 23:44									#1
	Try a Swedish political party selector! Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

You probably don't know or care about this, but Sweden has general elections in, like, a month's time. I was thinking it might be interesting to see how people here would vote in them, so here's a link to a Swedish political party selector thingy:

http://www.tv4.se/partitest/tv4/questions.asp

Now, this is from the perspective of the average Swede, so some questions will seem strange. Hopefully it'll expand your worldview a bit.

It's also in Swedish, so here's a translation. The right column from top to bottom: Completely Agree, Partially Agree, Don't Know, Partially Disagree, Completely Disagree; Left Column from top to bottom: Not Important At All, Not Important, Important, Very Important.

Q1: Society should give families economic support towards the childcare of their choice after the child reaches the age of 1. Parents who stay home with their children should also recieve such support.

Q2: There needs to be more than two dedicated "father months" in the parental insurance scheme. (System that provides support for parents to stay at home with young children, currently one month together plus a freely allocated year - Trans. Rem.)

Q3: Grades should be given earlier and more frequently than today. (From grade seven/eight currently - Trans. Rem.)

Q4: There need to be more "Free Schools". (Free Schools are privately run but state-funded schools - Trans. Rem.)

Q5: The tax on Petrol should be raised for environmental reasons.

Q6: Mink Farms should be forbidden.

Q7: Sweden should join the EMU.

Q8: Sweden should join NATO.

Q9: Sweden should hold referendums more often on important issues. (Five total in the twentieth century... - Trans. Rem.)

Q10: Working time should be cut by shortening the working day.

Q11: The right to a year off work with state support should be given to everybody.

Q12: The negative sides of globalisation can be fought with a Tobin Tax. (Small tax levied on international capital transactions - Trans. Rem.)

Q13: Small buisness employers should be able to exempt two people from the prescribed order during lay-offs. (Sweden has laws stating that the last hired person should be the first to go during a lay-off - Trans. Rem.)

Q14: Real Estate Tax should be eliminated.

Q15: Net Wealth Tax should be eliminated. (Tax directly levied on capital wealth over a certain value - Trans. Rem.)

Q16: The State should give more subsidies to housing development.

Q17: The tax on househols services (cleaning, etc.) should be lowered.

Q18: Progressive Taxation should be limited to 50%.

Q19: Patients should be able to pick doctors themselves, even when recieving specialist care.

Q20: Employers should take greater responsibility for sick leave.

Q21: Emergency hospitals should be able to be owned privately and aim for profit.

Q22: Work Valuation done by an independant party is a good method for evening out the wage differences between men and women.

Q23: The Monarchy should be eliminated.

Q24: There need to be more police officers.

Q25: The Tax Preassure in Sweden should be decreased.

Q26: Homosexual couples should be assessed as potential adoptive parents using the same criteria as other couples.

Q27: Wine and Beer should be sold in normal food stores. (Currently in special state-run stores - Trans. Rem.)

Q28: Better corporate conditions is the best way to lower unemployment.

Q29: More jobs in the state-run services sector is the best way to lower unemployment.

Q30: Sweden should have more generous rules for refugees seeking asylum in Sweden.

That's it! Press the upper link to change any of your answers, the lower one to go straight to results.

I'm dying to see peoples' results.

	18-08-2002 00:02									#2
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I am Swedish but I was bored so I thought I'd take this as well. 78% left party and 70% environmental party. Close third was the social hypocrites, oops, democrates with 67%.

I am an impressionable teenager so that sums it up pretty nicely.

	18-08-2002 00:21									#3
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53% Centern
60% Folkpartiet
48% Kristdemokraterna
58% Miljöpartiet
50% Moderaterna
55% Socialdemokraterna
60% Vänsterpartiet

They are all around 50%.

Does this mean I'd be a moderate in Sweden?

	18-08-2002 00:27									#4
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75% Centern
84% Folkpartiet
84% Kristdemokraterna
40% Miljöpartiet
85% Moderaterna
52% Socialdemokraterna
22% Vänsterpartiet

	18-08-2002 00:27									#5
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But Snappister! All these strange issues! How is a politically opinionated foreigner supposed to know which option represents the Right and which represents the Left so he can vote as according to his proper ideology as he should instead of thinking for himself? It does not compute!

Anyway, I got:

72% Folkpartiet
70% Moderaterna
70% Kristdemokraterna
66% Socialdemokraterna
58% Centern
46% Miljöpartiet
32% Vänsterpartiet

Pretty much as I excepted, though Kristdemokraterna so high was a bit surprising. Are they more moderate than Finland's Kristillisdemokraatit (Who once demanded for Korkeasaari zoo to separate a pair of gay eagles and who distributed leaflets claiming to expose how gays plan to make themselves accepted?)

	18-08-2002 00:30									#6
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The "Moderate" Party is a right-wing fiscally conservative party, ie. slightly to the left of the Democrats.

	18-08-2002 00:35									#7
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Every political group in Sweden is left-wing.

	18-08-2002 00:35									#8
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quote: Originally posted by Stefu Are they more moderate than Finland's Kristillisdemokraatit (Who once demanded for Korkeasaari zoo to separate a pair of gay eagles and who distributed leaflets claiming to expose how gays plan to make themselves accepted?)

Yes. Although they're quite socially conservative, they're economically middle-of-the-road and care about social justice and stuff. And they're not really rabid, focus on soft rather than hard issues.

	18-08-2002 00:37									#9
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quote: Originally posted by rmsharpe Every political group in Sweden is left-wing.

Or every political group in America is far right. It depends on your perspective.

	18-08-2002 00:39									#10
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quote: Originally posted by rmsharpe Every political group in Sweden is left-wing.

From an American perspective, yes. We do have the Swedish Democrates who could perhaps be a soft wing of the Republicans.

(Note: The Swedish democrates are a very rightwing party who suggest all sorts of evil stuff, a bit like the social democrates )

	18-08-2002 00:40									#11
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Hopefully, there's a similar test about Finnish politics in about 6 months from now, so I can annoy everyone with it.

quote: Every political group in Sweden is left-wing.

It just seems so to a member of a country where every political group is right-wing.

	18-08-2002 00:41									#12
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quote: It just seems so to a member of a country where every political group is right-wing.

quote: Or every political group in America is far right. It depends on your perspective.

STEREO!

	18-08-2002 00:48									#13
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quote: Q6: Mink Farms should be forbidden.

Is this a big issue in Sweden? In Finland, only the Greens (I think) support it.

quote: Q7: Sweden should join the EMU.

Who support, who oppose?

quote: Q8: Sweden should join NATO.

Again, is this a biggie? While you never know what Lipponen will do, most of the people are firmly opposed, and only the Svenska Folkpartiet is willing to take an enthusiastically affirmative stance.

quote: Q9: Sweden should hold referendums more often on important issues. (Five total in the twentieth century... - Trans. Rem.)

Finland has had two. (End of prohibition, joining the EU). I think the question is bit silly, myself. Everyone supports referendums as long as their side's on the top of polls - or at least has a decent chance. Again, who supports, who opposes?

quote: Q13: Small buisness employers should be able to exempt two people from the prescribed order during lay-offs. (Sweden has laws stating that the last hired person should be the first to go during a lay-off - Trans. Rem.)

Oooooookay.

Now I'm scared about whether Finland has this kind of laws - or if anyone's planning them. Surely, there will soon be.

quote: Q22: Work Valuation done by an independant party is a good method for evening out the wage differences between men and women.

Who supports, who opposes?

quote: Q25: The Tax Preassure in Sweden should be decreased.

Did you meant to spell this 'Pressure', or does 'Preassure' has some kind of special meaning? It sound like it could have, you know.

quote: Q27: Wine and Beer should be sold in normal food stores. (Currently in special state-run stores - Trans. Rem.)

Geez. WS, WO?

	18-08-2002 01:04									#14
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61% Centern
77% Folkpartiet
70% Kristdemokraterna
38% Miljöpartiet
72% Moderaterna
50% Socialdemokraterna
33% Vänsterpartiet

Perhaps someone could give us an explanation for each of these parties.

	18-08-2002 01:10									#15
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quote: Originally posted by Stefu Is this a big issue in Sweden? In Finland, only the Greens (I think) support it.

Nope. I don't think any parties support this, but apparently the greens (and possibly us Leftists) do. Silly issue anyway.

quote: Who support, who oppose?

Support wholeheartedly: Moderates, People's Party

Suport hesitantly: Social Democrats, Center Party, Christian Democrats

Oppose: Leftist Party (Damn!) and Greens

quote: Again, is this a biggie? While you never know what Lipponen will do, most of the people are firmly opposed, and only the Svenska Folkpartiet is willing to take an enthusiastically affirmative stance.

I think only the moderates and the liberals openly support it. They'd never dare to anyway.

quote: Finland has had two. (End of prohibition, joining the EU). I think the question is bit silly, myself. Everyone supports referendums as long as their side's on the top of polls - or at least has a decent chance. Again, who supports, who opposes?

Not a clue. I'd expect the Right-wing left (er, Center Party and Liberals) to support, and heavily political-movement-centered parties like the Lefties (another issue I disagree on!) and the Social Democrats. The five Referendums are: Prohibition (22), Pension Systems (55?), Which Side of the Road to Drive On (56?), Nuclear Power (79?) and Joining The EU (93).

quote: Oooooookay. Now I'm scared about whether Finland has this kind of laws - or if anyone's planning them. Surely, there will soon be.

Legacy of the seventies, these laws. Made to protect long-time workers and stop them from being replaced by eager young cheap things at the age of 45 or something.

quote: Who supports, who opposes?

I had to look this one up. Apparently the Free Market people oppose, but since wage differences are often due to job distribution, I don't see why this is important for anyone.

quote: Did you meant to spell this 'Pressure', or does 'Preassure' has some kind of special meaning? It sound like it could have, you know.

Nope.

quote: Geez. WS, WO?

Que?

	18-08-2002 01:14									#16
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quote: Que?

I thought that after so many times of saying "Who supports, who opposes?" an acronym would be obvious.

	18-08-2002 01:14									#17
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quote: Originally posted by Shi Huangdi 61% Centern 77% Folkpartiet 70% Kristdemokraterna 38% Miljöpartiet 72% Moderaterna 50% Socialdemokraterna 33% Vänsterpartiet Perhaps someone could give us an explanation for each of these parties.

Centern: Originally a "farmers party", now a party concentrated on the parts of Sweden which aren't cities. Cooperate a lil to the left and a lil to the right. Right in this campaign.

Folkpartiet: Liberals. Small liberals.

Kristdemokraterna: Christian party focused on (conservative) ethics. Very conservative in family issues.

Miljöpartiet: Enviromentalists. Sort of leftish and focused on "young" questions.

Moderaterna: Second largest party. Conservative and VERY focused on lowering taxes etc, the usual business.

Socialdemokraterna: Head chicken in Sweden for an absurdly long time. Social democratic, pretty much want things to continue as they are. Keyword: together.

Vänsterpartiet: Leftish party that has only almost renounced communism. Anti EU, EMU, NATO, USA and pretty much any abbreviation you can find.

And you my good sir seems to be a down-right rightwing voter.

	18-08-2002 01:27									#18
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Say, someone should post this at Newsmax.

Seriously. I'd be really interested in knowing what kind of results they'd get. Another interesting location would be Democratic Underground, which is bit of a (less-crazy) leftie Newsmax. You could test whether it's true about American left equalling European right.

And we can't forget Clearguidance.com.

	18-08-2002 01:36									#19
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Slightly expanded party definitions:

Centern: Traditional Farmers' Party who for many years was left-of-middle before switching over in its glory days in the seventies to become Sweden's biggest right-wing party. Now down to 6% of the votes. Quite soft liberal (european liberal, that is) views, with a strong regionalist slant. European Parliament Group: ELDR

Folkpartiet: Sweden's oldest still active party, Classical Liberal, used to be Social Liberal but have moved to the right in recent years. Now down to 5% of the votes, because they're too similar to the Moderates. European Parliament Group: ELDR

Kristdemokraterna: Relatively new party (30 years) who only entered the Parliament two elections ago. Model themselves on the small number of Protestant Christian Democratic parties in europe. 10% of the vote. Extremely soft-issue social conservatives. European Parliament Group: EPP

Miljöpartiet: The other newish party, also only been in the parliament for a few terms. Traditional Green politics, ie. Environmentalist and then hotch-potch mix 'n' match for the rest. Not as radical as most Green Parties are. 4% of the votes, close to falling out of Parliament. European Parliament Group: Greens

Moderaterna: Sweden's second oldest party, used to be The Right Party until the sixties. Now pragmatic neo-liberal fiscal conservatives with a strong hard-issue bent. 20% of the votes. European Parliament Group: EPP

Socialdemokraterna: Sweden's biggest party since the thirties and for the vast majority of time its ruling party, the Social Democrats are now increasingly third-way. Upwards of 40% of the votes. European Parliament Group: PSE

Vänsterpartiet: Traditionally a left-wing socialist party that got a bit lost politically between 1924 and 1990 when they were Communists. Now a feminist-socialist (populist?) left-wing party with 12% of the votes. European Parliament Group: GUE-NGL

	18-08-2002 01:39									#20
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quote: Originally posted by Stefu I thought that after so many times of saying "Who supports, who opposes?" an acronym would be obvious.

I think the entire right, except possibly the Christian Democrats, support it. Not sure about the Greens or the Center either, come to think of it.

	18-08-2002 01:43									#21
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Phew. Thirty questions are at least twenty-three too many. . .

	18-08-2002 01:46									#22
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61% centern
60% folkpartiet
55% kristdemokraterna
27% miljopartiet
54% moderaterna
55% moderaterna
55% socialdemokraterna
47% vansterpartiet

whats that mean?

a few of the questions were hard to answer. for example, if the question is "should this tax be limited to 50%" does a "completely disagree" answer mean that the limit should be much lower, or that there should be no limit at all?

	18-08-2002 01:50									#23
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quote: Originally posted by connorkimbro 61% centern 60% folkpartiet 55% kristdemokraterna 27% miljopartiet 54% moderaterna 55% moderaterna 55% socialdemokraterna 47% vansterpartiet whats that mean?

You're a centrist/rightwing kinda guy. At least in Swedish terms. In America you'd be a democrat.

	18-08-2002 01:51									#24
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I realise a few of the questions are tricky for non-swedes. For that particular one a "Completely Disagree" answer would be in support of more progressive taxiation, a flat-tax debate doesn't exist in Sweden.

I'm guessing the first one would be tricky for someone who wants no subsidies at all too.

	18-08-2002 01:55									#25
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Actually, I'd guess a lot of morally concious Libertarians would fall towards Folkpartiet as well. They're very focused on choice and individual liberty, moreso than other parties.

	18-08-2002 01:56									#26
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quote: Originally posted by connorkimbro a few of the questions were hard to answer. for example, if the question is "should this tax be limited to 50%" does a "completely disagree" answer mean that the limit should be much lower, or that there should be no limit at all?

Today we pay about 55-60%. So to disagree is...

	18-08-2002 01:58									#27
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I'm anything but a democrat.

	18-08-2002 01:59									#28
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i don't think there's a party in sweden that says there should be NO tax, huh? lol

that's the party i'd go with.

	18-08-2002 02:01									#29
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I'm sure there's such a party. Struggling to beat the Donald Duck party.

	18-08-2002 02:15									#30
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I think that Donald Duck Partyy is a veritable concept. In Finland, the usual protest vote is the church boat. Good ol' church boat. (Also known as "the spider.")