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Political Economy

Swedish political parties loose members but are expected to be fed with billions of taxpayer money

Thursday, 18 April 2013

One great thing about the Swedish political system is that it is not awash with money like the type seen in places such as the USA. This means that political system would be less bias towards a particular interest group. But political parties are loosing members.

According to a new report, 97 percent of Swedes are not a member of any political party. But Swedish people agree that the parties annually takes in Skr 1.2 million of tax payers money for their own use.

The newspaper Dagens Samhälle or Daily Society has looked though political scientists Sören Holmberg and Henrik Oscarsson's study: New Swedish voters and have made some observations. Among other things, the study concluded that the eight political parties represented in parliament since 1992, lost more than half of its members. Over 550,000 members were scattered in the parties in 1992, 20 years later, that number has shrunk to 250,000.

Overall, it is determined that 97 percent of Swedes do not belong to any party and as time passed more are moving away. Most of the parties are beginning to have similar policies and the problems of trust and competence is also driving voters away.

Although the number of members are decreasing, the Swedish tax payers keep on pumping more and more taxpayers' money in the parties. According to the report, Swedish political parties each year get s some Skr1.2 million in party support from the state and local governments.

Under the current mandate, it is estimated that party support to reach party reached Skr 5 million. These contributions amount to only 3 percent of the political parties' income. Also how political parties are using the Skr5 million is very vaguely regulated.

Confidence in the political parties are at the bottom. The Media Academy confidence barometer has only 15 percent of the population with a large or high confidence in political parties. More support in given to large firms (24 percent), banks (27 percent), radio / television (48 percent), trade unions (33 percent) and universities / colleges (57 percent).

by Scancomark.com Team

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