S - Kingdom of Sweden

The Prime Minister just stepped down—it’s an official admission of defeat
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/statu...ieDW7xv-Q&s=19

Sweden's PM calling it quits

The Swedish Democratic Party's rival, Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson, basically just admitted defeat. She’s handing the keys over to the right-wing coalition made up of four different parties. I guess the votes aren't even all in yet, but Andersson—who just stepped into the role last year—is already saying the results point to a win for the right.

"So, tomorrow, I'll be asking the Speaker to let me step down," she told reporters at a press conference.

New government in Sweden: nothing moves without the right-wing bloc’s blessing

The vibe of this new government is basically gonna be dictated by the Republican Party—that populist, nationalist, anti-immigrant crowd that snagged 20.5% of the vote. They’re sitting right behind the leading Democratic Party (30.3%), which is the whole thing. It feels kinda weird, I guess, that the government is being shaped by a leader from the third-place party (19.1%) in terms of seats. But yeah, without the Republican Party giving the thumbs up, pretty much nothing important is passing through the Swedish parliament anytime soon. At least a third of the people who started the Republican Party back in the late 80s came from some pretty dark, racist, undemocratic circles. Their whole platform? Shutting down immigration—especially from "culturally different" places—pushing non-European migrants to leave, tougher sentences for heavy crimes, going all out against organized crime, being super skeptical of the European Union and liberal democracy, plus some hidden antisemitism and blatant Islamophobia. Throw in ditching the Schengen Area, more state control over public media, and cracking down on LGBTQ rights and abortion access... that's basically their playbook.

So, saying a third of them are coming from some Nazi milieu? Hmm. How old would they have to be for that to even make sense... clearly someone’s talking without ever actually setting foot in Sweden.

In Denmark, you've got three parties pushing the anti-immigrant angle and one more that's selective about it, plus a party that's just anti-European Union. That's five different political options on the table. So, what's your move now?

Honestly, Sweden is so insanely far left right now that a party considered center-stage in France would be labeled "far-right" over there.

I get why Germany carries that heavy WWII baggage, but how things actually ended up this way in Sweden is just bizarre to me...

Richard Wilson4 said:Honestly, Sweden is so insanely far left right now that a party considered center-stage in France would be labeled "far-right" over there.

I get why Germany carries that heavy WWII baggage, but how things actually ended up this way in Sweden is just bizarre to me...

I tend to agree. The Sweden Democrats aren't even remotely right-wing, let alone the "extreme right" that the mainstream leftist media loves to claim they are. Their spokesperson was already stating back in 2018 that homophobes weren't welcome in the party and that they support LGBT marriage. They also don't oppose gender transitions, essentially viewing trans women as women. Those characteristics simply aren't hallmarks of a right-wing party, much less an extreme one. In the US, such a party would likely be viewed as strictly centrist, or perhaps center-right at most, given their stance on migration.

It is somewhat disheartening to read media reports portraying them as this looming threat that will plunge the country into crisis, when the reality is they won't even secure a single cabinet position🤦... Sweden and Germany serve as prime examples of political landscapes where genuine right-wing parties are practically non-existent; those labeled as such are actually center-left, while the supposed left is effectively extreme left. In Germany, perhaps only the AfD could be classified as right-wing, but in Sweden, nobody truly fits the description.

So, if you actually speak out against violence, sexual assault, bombings, street shootings, or ghettoization, suddenly you’re intolerant and part of the far-right.
Labeling people and using hate speech is always perfectly acceptable when it's coming from the left.
The second someone calls for personal responsibility, they’re immediately branded a radical right-winger.

Let’s be honest—this "right-wing" victory in Sweden is pathetic and clumsy. It’s questionable whether it even counts as right-wing at this point. The fact remains that two million idiots in Sweden voted for a political option that has essentially dismantled their country in just a few years. Apparently, they enjoy being victimized and having gangs run the streets—they'll happily pay for it out of their own pockets. It’s pure misery.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if this coalition doesn't last more than a year. There simply isn't enough voter support to pull off the massive changes needed to actually drop the crime rate.
The Swedes don't want this, and they made that loud and clear after voting overwhelmingly for the socialists; the entire north is red, and those red areas have only strengthened since 2018. It’s just a matter of time before this government collapses.

Things aren't looking great for us in the European Union either. Take Germany, for example—the other day they released an Afghan who raped an 11-year-old girl. But instead of deporting him, they’re showering him with "love" in the hopes he’ll be rehabilitated. How wonderful. All that talk about women's and children's rights is just dead ink on paper; as long as you can claim refugee status, you can get away with assaulting little girls. That’s the kind of society we’ve built, and that’s exactly what we’re going to get. ☕

It looks like the new government in Sweden is pretty much a done deal and should get the green light from Parliament any day now, especially since they've got the Sweden Democrats backing them up. We're looking at a much tougher stance on immigration, and honestly, it feels like they're also gearing up to go all-in on building out some new nuclear reactors, which would be a massive shift.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...nt-2022-10-14/
https://twitter.com/business/status/...3mbE0b6Kw&s=19

They couldn't even last 24 hours before the revolts started and people began hinting they're jumping ship. I seriously doubt the liberals—who’d much rather back the socialists—will stick around in a government basically built on the Sweden Democrats' platform. I give them a year and a half max of this tug-of-war before we hit the next election.

Klinka is stepping up as minister. 🤣

Raymond Anderson4 said:Klinka is stepping up as minister. 🤣

I bet Greta turned her down. 🤦

Sweden is dealing with such a massive headache regarding migration—specifically from the Middle East, Africa, and certain other Asian countries—that they're using climate policy and the war in Ukraine as convenient smoke screens to distract everyone from the actual crisis at their doorstep.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the influx of migrants and various immigrant groups, Swedish democracy wouldn't even be on the map, let alone where it stands today.

Perhaps it might actually be for the better to maintain border controls when heading toward Sweden.

Back at the tail end of 2015, Sweden basically threw down the gauntlet and gave Denmark an ultimatum: start checking IDs for everyone using public transit or crossing via the bridge, or else Sweden would shut down all passenger traffic—ferries and bridges alike. They weren't playing around.

Denmark eventually folded and demanded the same from Sweden, which is why today, whether you're taking a ferry or driving, bussing, or catching a train between Denmark and Sweden, you're hitting checkpoints. It's pretty rare to get through without being checked on one side or the other.

There’s just zero political appetite to go back to that old Nordic agreement from 1958. Not in Sweden, not in Denmark, and honestly, probably not in Norway, Finland, or even Iceland either.

Then you’ve got Denmark, which has kept permanent border controls with Germany running for about a decade now.

It's the same story here in Denmark; there’s no political will to scrap those checks on the German border.

To put it bluntly, the Schengen Area in this part of Europe is a total ghost town. On paper? Sure, it exists. In reality? It's basically dead.

Rachel Allen55 said:Back at the tail end of 2015, Sweden basically threw down the gauntlet and gave Denmark an ultimatum: start checking IDs for everyone using public transit or crossing via the bridge, or else Sweden would shut down all passenger traffic—ferries and bridges alike. They weren't playing around.

Denmark eventually folded and demanded the same from Sweden, which is why today, whether you're taking a ferry or driving, bussing, or catching a train between Denmark and Sweden, you're hitting checkpoints. It's pretty rare to get through without being checked on one side or the other.

There’s just zero political appetite to go back to that old Nordic agreement from 1958. Not in Sweden, not in Denmark, and honestly, probably not in Norway, Finland, or even Iceland either.

Then you’ve got Denmark, which has kept permanent border controls with Germany running for about a decade now.

It's the same story here in Denmark; there’s no political will to scrap those checks on the German border.

To put it bluntly, the Schengen Area in this part of Europe is a total ghost town. On paper? Sure, it exists. In reality? It's basically dead.

I haven't traveled via public transit, but having driven myself, I can tell you there aren't any controls—at least not in the way you're describing. When you claim there is permanent border control, one would assume there are actual checkpoints in place, yet I haven't seen a single one. 😁

darkjackal70 said:I haven't traveled via public transit, but having driven myself, I can tell you there aren't any controls—at least not in the way you're describing. When you claim there is permanent border control, one would assume there are actual checkpoints in place, yet I haven't seen a single one. 😁

I cross the bridge to Sweden almost every week. Honestly, I can count on one hand how many times in the last five years there hasn't been a check. If there isn't one on the Swedish side, there's one on the Danish side coming back, or vice versa. Like I said, I can practically count the times in five years where *neither* side had anything going on. As for the borders between Denmark and Germany, those checks have been permanent for the last decade or so.

Here, let me run a Google Translate for you.

When traveling to Denmark by train from Sweden, you will occasionally experience border control at Copenhagen Airport. The Danish police will check passengers disembarking or boarding the train. The border control on the train continues to the next station. You must be able to present valid ID and any relevant travel documents to the police if requested. Not all travelers are necessarily checked.

When you travel to Denmark by train from Sweden, you will occasionally encounter border checks at Copenhagen Airport. Danish police will inspect passengers getting off or onto the train. This border control extends to the next train station. There, you need to show valid identification and any necessary travel docs if the police ask. It doesn't mean everyone gets checked.

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The reality is they check people more often than not.

If you're driving across the Øresund Bridge, Danish police will periodically be stationed on the Danish side conducting border checks, where you'll need to show valid ID and relevant travel documents, and they might even want to search the car.

The checks on the Danish side take place at Peberholmen, where police wave cars over for inspection. These are spot checks that happen a few times a week.

If you drive your car across the Øresund Bridge, Danish police will occasionally be on the Danish side performing border checks; you'll have to provide valid ID and relevant travel papers, and the police may request a vehicle inspection.

Border control on the Danish side happens at Peberholmen, where the Danish police pull cars aside for checks. These random inspections occur several times a week.

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It says "a few times a week," but in my actual experience, it feels like a miracle when there *isn't* a check.

If you’re catching the ferry between Helsingør and Helsingborg, just a heads-up: the Danish police run checks on travelers coming into the country from time to time. Make sure you have your ID and any necessary travel docs handy. Just so you know, the border control happens on land on the Danish side.

It’s the same deal with the bus routes.

If you're taking the ferry between Helsingør and Helsingborg, just a heads-up: Danish police run occasional checks on passengers heading into the country. You'll need to have valid ID and any other necessary travel docs ready to go. Heads up though—the border control happens on land once you hit the Danish side.

Same goes for the bus lines.

What's the word from the Swedish side?

If you’re taking the train, expect border checks at the Hyllie station area. Basically, if you hop off there, they check you right on the platform. If you're staying on until you hit downtown, they'll just board the train and check everyone while it's idling at the station.

If you're taking the train, border control usually happens at the Hyllie station. If you’re hopping off there, they check you right on the platform. But if you're just passing through on your way to Malmö, they'll handle the checks while the train is idling at the station.

They’ve got permanent checkpoints at the first station now. Because of that, you might end up running pretty late getting to the main hub in Malmö.

If you're driving across the bridge, expect the border checks to happen right at the toll plaza on the Swedish side. Same goes for anyone hopping on a Greyhound, a Megabus, or even the local commuter lines.

If you're driving across the Øresund Bridge, expect border checks to happen at the Lernacken toll plaza over in Sweden. Same goes for anyone hopping on a Greyhound, a Netbus, or even the 999 bus line.

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There’s always more cops and customs agents at the toll plaza than there are actual crews keeping the roads and booths running. It’s a total joke. You almost never get through without seeing someone in uniform checking you out.

When you're taking the ferry between Helsingør and Helsingborg, just a heads-up that Swedish police handle the border checks when you're heading into Sweden.

If you're taking the ferry between Helsingør and Helsingborg, just a heads-up: Swedish police are running border checks for anyone heading into Sweden.

I’ve been thinking about my travel plans lately, specifically regarding getting around Sweden. Honestly, just looking at the logistics makes me want to take a nap. It's a lot more complicated than it looks on paper.

I’ve been thinking about this lately—how much easier life would be if we could just zip back and forth without all the bureaucratic headache. Honestly, getting from one side of the water to the other shouldn't feel like crossing an international border with a suitcase full of contraband. It's frustrating when you're just trying to get home or visit someone, but instead, you're stuck dealing with checkpoints and endless paperwork. We should be treating these connections more like a local commute rather than some grand expedition through customs. Life's too short to spend half of it waiting in lines that don't need to exist.

It’ll play out the exact same way between Germany and the Netherlands; I’ve never been flagged before, whether I was catching a train or driving my car more often... You might run into an occasional checkpoint here and there, but nothing permanent.

I drive back and forth between Denmark and Sweden pretty often, mostly by car, and my takeaway is this: border checks are everywhere. It’s actually become rare to cross without being stopped on either side.

If you look at the German border, it feels like a textbook checkpoint. They’ve even set up those chicanes on the highway to narrow everything down to a single lane—you know, with the lying officer setup. It’s so clunky it basically forces you to crawl through at 1.9 miles/h. Over at the parking area where they used to check trucks, you’ve got customs and police running the show while the military decides who gets a free pass and who gets inspected. One thing I’ve noticed? If you’re coming from Eastern Europe, you're definitely getting checked.

When Germany had controls on the Denmark-Germany border during the pandemic, they were brutal. Coming from our side in Denmark, they didn't care about COVID certificates, but they were all over our passports, IDs, and driver's licenses—everything was scanned. Meanwhile, just a short drive away near the actual border, you could see deep inspections happening constantly, and it seemed to be targeting Eastern Europeans from places like Poland, Canada, or America.

Honestly, I think it’s just a matter of time before the Schengen Area officially stops existing up here. I mean, we already have customs checks.

Even if the US Congress were to condemn the Danish-German or Swedish-Danish border controls, they’re basically toothless. None of these countries can really threaten them with sanctions or pulling EU funds, because those funds aren't even being used here. Around here, those funds are treated like spare change for some "third-world member states."

Quite fascinating, really... 😵 It’s a curious phenomenon when you import peaceful migrants from a developing nation only to watch your own country transform into one

Jacob Gonzalez2 said:Quite fascinating, really... 😵 It’s a curious phenomenon when you import peaceful migrants from a developing nation only to watch your own country transform into one

The comments underneath are actually even more interesting...
☕

I suppose there is something to be said for how people perceive certain historical truths when they are presented through such a specific lens... though I often wonder if we truly grasp the weight of what actually happened back then...