Nordic left-wing parties gain as far-right declines in EU vote, exit polls show [View all]

[Celerity]

Left-wing and green parties made gains across the Nordics in Sunday's EU elections, official results and exit polls showed, while far-right parties saw their support diminish.

https://www.thelocal.se/20240609/nordic-left-wing-parties-gain-far-right-declines-in-eu-vote

https://archive.ph/CFgpA

People in Stockholm walk past election posters of the Swedish Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats Party ahead of the European elections. Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP

In Finland, the big surprise of the evening was the socialist Left Alliance, which had 17.3 percent of the vote, with over 99 percent of votes counted – an increase of 10.4 percentage points compared to the 2019 election. "It feels like I'm in some type of shock. I couldn't be happier," Left Alliance party leader Li Andersson told broadcaster YLE. The result meant the party secured three out of Finland's 15 seats in the European Parliament, up from the one they got in the previous election.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's National Coalition Party still won the most votes with 24.7 percent, giving them four seats. The far-right Finns Party, which is part of Orpo's coalition government, meanwhile saw their support fall drastically, gaining only 7.6 percent of votes, a decrease of 6.2 percentage points – leaving them with only one seat instead of two. "This is a wake-up call for our party. Now we should activate our EU policies more," Sebastian Tynkkynen, who will be the lone representative of the Finns Party in the EU parliament, told YLE.

In Denmark, broadcaster DR's exit poll had the Socialist People's Party emerging as the largest party with 18.4 percent of the vote, up 5.2 percentage points compared to the 2019 result. Denmark was rocked by an attack on the Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Friday, when a man hit her in a Copenhagen square. Frederiksen did not attend any election night events, but said in a post to social media that the Socialist People's Party was the party that was the closest to the Social Democrats politically and was happy to see left-wing parties gaining ground.

At the Green Party's election night party, from left, party secretary Katrin Wissing, party leader Amanda Lind and the party's EU top candidates Alice Bah Kuhnke and Pär Holmgren. Photo: Nicklas Thegerström/TT

In Sweden, the Green Party looked to become the country's third largest with 15.7 percent of the vote, an increase of 4.2 percentage points, according to an exit poll by broadcaster SVT. The Left Party also saw a boost, with 10.7 percent, up 3.9 percentage points. The far right-wing, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who are propping up centre-right Moderate Party leader and Swedish Prime Minster Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance government, also saw a weaker result with 13.9 percent, down 1.4 percentage points, according to the exit poll. Sweden Democrat Party leader Jimmie Akesson blamed media focus on a report by broadcaster TV4 into the party's use of anonymous "troll" accounts -- which set off a political scandal in the country.

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Sweden Democrats will not delete anonymous accounts

https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/sweden-democrats-will-not-delete-anonymous-accounts (short news broadcast in English at the link)

The Sweden Democrats have apologized to the government parties after revelations by Swedish TV4 about anonymous accounts on social media.

But the party has no plans of closing any accounts, says party secretary Mattias Bäckström Johansson.

”It is not misinformation that has been spread, they just have tried to be funny”, he says.

Several parties condemn Sweden Democrats alleged 'troll factory'

https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/several-parties-condemn-sweden-democrats-alleged-troll-factory (short news broadcast in English at the link)

There have been strong reactions to revelations by TV4's investigative programme Hard Facts, which have reported that the Sweden Democrats' communications department has used anonymous so-called troll-accounts on social media to spread propaganda in favour of the party.

Critics, including leading figures in the government, say that it is unacceptable and that the Sweden Democrats must answer the questions that are being asked of them following the programmes.

But the leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Åkesson, has hit back, calling the reporting 'disinformation' and a domestic influence operation.