Country Reports

European elections 2024

Barrier-free?

The lack of equality for people with disabilities is still omnipresent in the European Union. For the 2019 European elections, a report by the European Economic and Social Committee showed that around 800,000 EU citizens from 16 member states were excluded from the right to vote in European elections due to national regulations because of their disabilities or mental illness. The European elections in June 2024 brought the issue back to the fore, as it is also about a lack of political participation. Here you will find a brief assessment by our KAS colleagues who have looked at the current conditions in their countries of assignment.

Iceland has a new President

With 80.8 % a very high voter turnout, 75% of the votes went to female candidates

A simple majority of 34.3% was enough to lead to the outcome on Saturday: Halla Tómasdóttir, 55 years old, a successful businesswoman with social commitment, becomes Iceland's 7th president since the country was founded in 1944. This year, Iceland celebrates 80 years since proclaiming independence from Denmark. All 12 candidates for the presidential election ran as independents, including Katrín Jakobsdóttir, until recently Prime Minister, crime writer and leader of the green-left movement, which is part of the current governing coalition. She only achieved second place with 25%, having long been the favourite for the position. She resigned from all her duties to run for president. The role of the Icelandic president is a representative one. In addition to appointing the prime minister and ministers, the president shares legislative power with parliament, as he has to sign laws and therefore has a veto. It is not the president's job to conclude agreements with foreign states. Nevertheless, he can open doors that facilitate agreements.

Finland Relies on Popular Politicians in Times of Crisis

Alexander Stubb in first place after the first round of the presidential elections

Finland has enjoyed special attention in the security policy context at least since the country joined NATO in April 2023 and due to its comprehensive strategy of defensive democracy ("total defense"). Hybrid attacks from the Russian side have increased since Russia's attack on Ukraine. Finland recently had to close its border posts in the east due to migration controlled by Russia. The Finnish president, who is directly elected every six years, is the commander-in-chief of the army and is responsible for enacting laws, appointing ministers and foreign and security policy. Sauli Niinistö, who is still in office, negotiated the path from his country's application to NATO membership prudently and purposefully with an overwhelming vote of the Finnish population and thus also received a great deal of international recognition. Alexander Stubb, like Niinistö from the conservative Rally Party, is now likely to succeed him. He received 27.2% of the vote on election night, but was closely followed by Pekka Haavisto, former Green Foreign Minister in the Marin cabinet, with 25.8%.

Challenges for Sweden one year after forming the government

Government loses support, Sweden Democrats make gains

The Kristersson government has been in office for a year with the support of the right-wing nationalist Sweden Democrats under the Tidö-Agreement.

Government work involving right-wing nationalist parties

Current experiences from Sweden and Finland

Since the fall of 2022, Sweden has had a conservative minority government made up of the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals, supported by the right-wing nationalist "Sweden Democrats" (SD) via a cooperation agreement, the so-called "Tidöavtalet." While cooperation on issues such as fighting crime, expanding nuclear power, as well as in economic and budgetary matters seems to be working, the SD's rhetoric on the EU, migration and Islam has become increasingly strident in recent weeks. Although the Sweden Democrats have officially endorsed Sweden’s membership in NATO in the wake of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the party’s action about Koran burnings has complicated the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership by Turkey and contributed to the destabilization of Sweden’s domestic security situation.

Since June 2023, Finland has also had a conservative government, which – unlike in Sweden - brought the right-wing nationalist Perussuomalaiset (PS) into government as a coalition partner with a portfolio covering 8 ministries. Within just a few days of the formation of the government, however, cracks began to show - the PS's economy minister was forced to resign over ties to neo-Nazi circles, and two other PS ministers had to publicly apologize for making racist comments. The finance minister and PS party leader is also under pressure after a violent, xenophobic blog post she had written surfaced. Leader of the conservative National Coalition Party and Prime Minister Orpo has now invited the leaders of the governing parties to an internal debate about racism and discrimination immediately following the summer break. As a result, there is a high degree of confidence that the work of the government can progress. This process was important for the continued viability of the coalition, as the increasing number of scandals surrounding right-wing PS politicians, or their statements put the three other coalition members under immense political pressure.

Sweden’s EU Presidency

Stable Navigation Through Crises.

Sweden assumed the EU presidency in the beginning of the year. The priorities of the presidency are unity and security, prosperity and the green transition, resilience and competitiveness, as well as democratic values and the rule of law.

Elections in Finland

Voted to remain happy? With the election victory of the Conservatives, Finland is facing a change of government

A high quality of life, gender equality, the closeness of people to nature, the absence of corruption and the importance of democratic values form the cornerstones of how Finnish society perceives itself. For the sixth year in a row, the United Nations World Happiness Report has named Finland the country with the happiest and most content people in the world based on these criteria.

Die schwedische Riksdagswahl

Ein knapper Wahlausgang

Mehr als eine „Strompreiswahl“ – Mitte-Rechts-Block steht mit knappem Vorsprung vor Regierungsbildung. Rechtsnationale Schwedendemokraten kommen auf über 20 Prozent und liegen damit auf Platz zwei nach den Sozialdemokraten. Prognosen hatten einen denkbar knappen Wahlausgang vorhergesagt. Trotz eines Ergebnisses der Sozialdemokraten über 30 Prozent liegt nach einer langen Wahlnacht Montag früh der Mitte-Rechts-Block von Ulf Kristersson knapp vor dem Mitte-Links-Block von Magdalena Andersson.

Eine Mitgliedschaft Schwedens und Finnlands in der NATO ist wahrscheinlicher geworden

Die Auswirkungen auf die Sicherheitspolitik der Nordischen Länder haben seit dem Beginn des russischen Angriffskriegs auf die Ukraine am 24. Februar zu einer Aufgabe jahrzehntelanger Gewissheiten geführt. Die Zustimmung in der Bevölkerung Schwedens und Finnlands zu einem NATO-Beitritt ist seitdem exponentiell gestiegen. In Finnland waren nach Angaben von YLE in der letzten Woche bereits 53% dafür (gegenüber 19% noch 2017), 28% dagegen. In Schweden veröffentlichte Aftonbladet am 4. März eine Umfrage, nach der es in Schweden mit 51% (gegenüber stabilen 30% in den Jahren zuvor) ebenfalls eine Mehrheit für den Beitritt gibt, 27% sind dagegen. Dies ist ein klarer Meinungsumschwung in der Bevölkerung und auch ein Ausdruck dessen, dass Russland zunehmend als Bedrohung gesehen wird. Die neue Dimension der Stimmung pro NATO in der Bevölkerung hat mit atemberaubender Geschwindigkeit auch die Debatten um eine Abkehr von der Allianzfreiheit in den Parlamenten beider Länder vorangetrieben. Bislang sind die jeweils regierenden Sozialdemokraten noch mehrheitlich gegen eine Mitgliedschaft. Aber auch das kann sich in den nächsten Tagen ändern – insbesondere in Finnland. Der Druck wächst. 75-80% der Bevölkerung in Schweden und Finnland geben an, dass sie Angst vor Russland als Großmacht haben (gegenüber 38% in Schweden 2019). Offensichtlich ist bereits jetzt, dass sich die Beziehungen zu Russland im Norden Europas nachhaltig verändern werden.

Schweden hat erstmalig eine Ministerpräsidentin

Magdalena Andersson im zweiten Wahlgang gewählt

Nun ist es durch: Magdalena Andersson, Vorsitzende der sozialdemokratischen Partei (S) Schwedens und bislang Finanzministerin, wurde im zweiten Versuch diesen Montag knapp zur neuen Ministerpräsidentin gewählt. 173 stimmten gegen sie, 101 für sie und 75 enthielten sich. In Schweden gilt, dass man gewählt ist, wenn man keine Mehrheit gegen sich hat, Enthaltungen gelten somit als Jastimmen. Sie wird zukünftig eine sozialdemokratische Ein-Parteien-Minderheitsregierung anführen, da der Koalitionspartner, die grüne Umweltpartei (MP), sich letzten Mittwoch überraschend aus der Regierung zurückgezogen und Frau Andersson damit nach nur 8 Stunden im Amt zum Rücktritt gezwungen hatte.