Scandals marring the first week of the new swedish government

[Zoid]

They have done their best to portray themselves as "the new right", better and improved. And after only roughly a week two ministers have resigned due to tax fraud, evasion of mandatory television license fees and shady stock trades. A third minister, Tobias Billström minister of migration, is also suspected of evasion of license fees.

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5221&date=20061014

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5230&date=20061016

OTOH, the other side isn´t doing that well either. The chairman of the socialdemocratic youth organization, Anna Sjödin, was recently convicted of assault, racial insult and resisting arrest.

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5225&date=20061015

And some people wonder why there´s such widespread loathing of politicians these days...

[Last Conformist]

I don't get why politicians think they'll get away with that sort of thing. Time to put antipsychotics in the tap water at the Diet?

[Zoid]

Power corrupts and since they aren´t in touch with ordinary people or haven´t been scrutinized by the press previously, I think the whole thing comes as a bit of a rude awakening...

A slightly better article from the BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6054814.stm

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by Zoid
Power corrupts and since they aren´t in touch with ordinary people or haven´t been scrutinized by the press previously, I think the whole thing comes as a bit of a rude awakening...

Doesn't explain the recurrent scandals of the previous gov't, that had been in power for years.

[Tattila the Hun]

One could allways ask, whether those, who have evaded the tv/lisence, actually watch tv...

There's nothing on, anyways.

[Zoid]

It doesn´t matter if you watch TV or not, as long as you own a TV, video or TV-card in your computer you have to pay licence fee. That´s the law

Btw Always is spelt with one "l"

[Arrian]

It's a messed up law if you ask me, but that's not really the point.

Politicians

-Arrian

[VetLegion]

How big are the licence fees anyway?

[RGBVideo]

In Finland, it's 200 euros and 70 cents.

[VetLegion]

It's cheaper in Sweden. One of the articles linked above mentions:

The 1,500 kronor (£109; US$200) per year TV licence fee

That's not little, but given politican's income it must be affordable. Stupid way to lose position.

[Tattila the Hun]

For Reality TV and soap...

And FST.

[VetLegion]

What's the average monthly salary in Sweden?

[RGBVideo]

What's the average monthly salary in Sweden?

If you can't find that from CIA's factbook or wikipedia, try nationmaster.

[Winston]

Within the first week of their appointment? Tsk..

I think this is more telling of the state of Swedish media and the climate of public debate than of Swedish politicians.

Somebody apparently have their minds firmly set on trying to compromise in every possible way this travesty that is a non-Social Democratic government. "Yeah, when those stupid voters don't know what's good for them, we'll show them, one way or another!"

[VetLegion]

I just looked up some figures. Apparently, a Swede has to give up about 5,8% of his monthly salary to pay the yearly licence fees, while average Croat has to give up 15,8% of his average monthly salary to pay the yearly licence fees. It would be interesting to know for other countries too.