Airstrip One

Swedish Eurorealism

A new Swedish party, called the 'June List', has been established that mirrors single-issue organisations in Britain, with its call for a referendum on the European Constitution. The party aims to maintain Swedish membership of the European Union but favours an intergovernmental approach, the repatriation of border controls and opposition to a centralised European state.

The website is here but it is in Swedish.

The strategy of the 'June List' is to contest the European rather than the national elections, just as the Danish Eurosceptics have done with notable success. Is this the rise of new political parties, disaffected with the EU, yet campaigning for an institutional reform rather then withdrawal? One doubts their ability to succeed with a reforming agenda due to the lack of leverage that democratic institutions have in the European Union.

(23.02, 12th February 2004)