Into the abyss
WILL THE LAST PERSON TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY PLEASE TURN OUT THE LIGHTS?
Paraphrasing The Sun's famous frontpage on Britain's Election Day in 1992 I'm trying to express some of the disillusion created by the Norwegian parliamentary elections on September 12th. Amid five consecutive years of topping UNDP's Human Development Index, statistically (sic.) crowning Norway as "the best country in the world", record-low interest rates and several great economic accomplishments, the centre-right coalition, lead by PM Kjell Magne Bondevik was severely punished by the voters, losing 18 seats in parliament. Now an unprecedented centre-left coalition, having obtained 51,5 % of the parliamentary seats, is in formation and will be the first majority government in two decades.
Speculations abound regarding which policy switches will be executed and which reforms will be reversed. Most probably, several private schools will be shut down, stem cell research will be permitted, abortion legislation relaxed, and - of course - public spending will definitely increase (as illustrated above..). Alongside the silent prayers that the country will survive the socialist invation of the government offices, there is also a feeling of shamefullness because of the populists' land slide elections. Lead by maverick leader Carl I. Hagen, who made electoral promises worth billions of dollars and torpedoed the centre-right coalition demanding the PM's head, the party obtained 22,1 % of the votes, by far becoming the biggest opposition party. Such a manifestation of Norwegian introverted self-consciousness and greedy egoism is a disgrace. On the night of the election Mr. Hagen revealed himself as a true and cynical populist proclaiming that the goal is four years of consolidation before winning the 2009 elections. In other words, party before country. I'm proud that the Christian Democrats and the Liberal party didn't succumb to Mr. Hagen's overtures and demagogy, even though the price at the polls was high.
While hoping that the nation soon will be brought to its senses and call the populist bluff, I have a more immediate concern about the country's image abroad. Mr. Hagen, an infantile seeker of prestige and positions, is dreaming of entering the presidency of the Norwegian Storting. Well, will he and his wife, inseparably by his side, portray Norway the way we like?
Paraphrasing The Sun's famous frontpage on Britain's Election Day in 1992 I'm trying to express some of the disillusion created by the Norwegian parliamentary elections on September 12th. Amid five consecutive years of topping UNDP's Human Development Index, statistically (sic.) crowning Norway as "the best country in the world", record-low interest rates and several great economic accomplishments, the centre-right coalition, lead by PM Kjell Magne Bondevik was severely punished by the voters, losing 18 seats in parliament. Now an unprecedented centre-left coalition, having obtained 51,5 % of the parliamentary seats, is in formation and will be the first majority government in two decades.
Speculations abound regarding which policy switches will be executed and which reforms will be reversed. Most probably, several private schools will be shut down, stem cell research will be permitted, abortion legislation relaxed, and - of course - public spending will definitely increase (as illustrated above..). Alongside the silent prayers that the country will survive the socialist invation of the government offices, there is also a feeling of shamefullness because of the populists' land slide elections. Lead by maverick leader Carl I. Hagen, who made electoral promises worth billions of dollars and torpedoed the centre-right coalition demanding the PM's head, the party obtained 22,1 % of the votes, by far becoming the biggest opposition party. Such a manifestation of Norwegian introverted self-consciousness and greedy egoism is a disgrace. On the night of the election Mr. Hagen revealed himself as a true and cynical populist proclaiming that the goal is four years of consolidation before winning the 2009 elections. In other words, party before country. I'm proud that the Christian Democrats and the Liberal party didn't succumb to Mr. Hagen's overtures and demagogy, even though the price at the polls was high.
While hoping that the nation soon will be brought to its senses and call the populist bluff, I have a more immediate concern about the country's image abroad. Mr. Hagen, an infantile seeker of prestige and positions, is dreaming of entering the presidency of the Norwegian Storting. Well, will he and his wife, inseparably by his side, portray Norway the way we like?
posted by Einar at 12:18 pm
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