Blogcritics Author: Roger Choate

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

New Terror Attacks in Britain Reportedly Imminent

Roger Choate — Sun, 1 Jul 2007 10:17:24 EDT

The highest security alert level - "critical" - was clamped on Britain over the weekend, indicating that new terrorist attacks are imminent. Prime Minister Gordon Brown blamed three car bomb attacks on people "associated with al-Qaeda."The island nation was placed on the highest level of terrorist alert after a burning car smashed into Glasgow Airport in Scotland yesterday, disrupting air travel across the country. On Friday two car bombs were found in London's crowded West End, near Piccadilly Circus. Two Mercedes with 60 liters of gas, gas cylinders and nails were detected - before their devices detonated.A total of five people have been arrested in connection with both attacks. Details were not available. Gordon Brown, as Britain's new prime minister, said "it's obvious that we have a group of people... who're prepared at any time to inflict what they want to be maximum damage on civilians." He added that "we are dealing, in general terms, with people who are associated with al-Qaeda."Metropolitan Police in London stepped up security procedures at the ongoing Wimbledon tennis matches, as well as a memorial concert on Sunday for the late Princess Diana, who died 10 years ago. A statement issued by police said that concert goers could expect an increase in stop and search measures.The London bombings on Friday occurred on Gordon Brown's first full day as prime minister, succeeding Tony Blair. The timing could not have been coincidental. Brown's new terrorism advisor Lord Stevens said the attacks signaled a major escalation "in the war being waged on us by Islamic terrorists." He went on to say: "It is clear a close but deadly network of interlinked operational cells has developed."Britain has a new system of five security levels. "Critical" is the highest, meaning that an imminent attack is expected. The home affairs correspondent of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said that the decision to go to "critical" reflects concern that there's the capability and intent to carry out further bombings.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Europe Challenges U.S. by Slashing Greenhouse Emissions

Roger Choate — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 12:29:26 EDT

Europe has taken the lead in the battle against climate change in an historic pact to slash greenhouse gas emissions and boost renewable power. Over the weekend the 27-nation European Union announced it would cut the emissions by 20% within 13 years – and 30% if major polluters like the United States agree to do the same.The 30% target was widely understood to be the European Union’s opening bid for a new international agreement on emissions when the international Kyoto Treaty expires in 2012. Support from the United States would be vital: “If we do 30% alone, the costs for the EU would be too high," said officials at the European Commission in Brussels. The thought about “burden-sharing” is also pointing toward a potential deal with the United States at the forthcoming G8 Summit of industrialized countries in June .In addition to carbon reductions, EU leaders promised that by 2020, one fifth of European energy for the Union’s 494 million citizens will be derived from renewables like wind and solar or hydroelectric power. The role of nuclear power got an unexpected boost. In a compromise with France and the Czech Republic, nuclear power capability will be taken into account when determining national commitments to renewables.If nation-states within the Union fail to meet objectives they can be hauled into the European Court of Justice.Another binding target would be biofuels that should account for 10% of EU transport power by 2020. Energy efficiency savings of 20% are targeted within 13 years, while there would also be a new push on carbon capture and storage technologies.Environmental groups in Europe were divided. Greenpeace praised the deal as “the biggest such decision since the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol.” Friends of the Earth was less enthusiastic. “Heads of States gave a modest boost to the uptake of renewable energies, but agreed that the EU should aim low on cutting greenhouse gases, and failed again to agree on any concrete commitment towards reducing Europe’s appalling waste of energy.” Other environmentalists thought greenhouse emissions would have to be cut well beyond 30% to make any kind of possible dent in the quickening catastrophe-in-the-making.The deal was predictably hailed by European leaders. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac both praised the way the Summit was managed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Her climate change aims had met opposition in East European countries that still rely heavily on coal. The outcome was not easy, but “Mrs. Merkel achieved it with intelligence and brio,” said Chirac.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Estonians Cast Online Ballots in National Elections

Roger Choate — Sun, 4 Mar 2007 11:50:23 EST

The tiny Baltic republic of Estonia rarely grabs headlines. But today it became the world’s first country where Internet voting was permitted in a national election.As nearly 1 million registered voters today turned up at polling stations, around 30,000 didn’t have to. They had already cast their ballots in a secure online system, made possible by the fact that most Estonians have national identity cards with computer-readable microchips.Using their ID card and its PIN, all they then need is a computer with an electronic card reader – voting from anywhere in the world.E-votes could only be cast three days prior to elections. During the three-day period, online Estonians had a chance to change their minds after voting: the system allows multiple votes to be cast, with the latest vote canceling out the earlier. Online voters still worried about security questions were nonetheless able to turn up at the polling stations today and cast a paper ballot – invalidating the computerized one. The security aspect of Internet voting has not caused much concern, however. “E-voting is not so difficult to think about here. We are used to using the Internet for business and for almost 10 years we have been using the Internet for banking,” said a computer systems specialist.The Estonian experiment is being watched closely by other member countries in the European Union (EU) where E-voting systems have been tried on a smaller scale. Experts hope that eventual widespread use of online voting would encourage otherwise lethargic citizens to participate in elections.Rush to ModernizeAfter independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, the little northern country rushed to modernize. Payment of bills with a cell phone is almost commonplace, and Estonia is a major European base for the Skype Internet telephone service. “One of the most common explanations as to why Estonians have taken to new IT technology is that everything had to be done new here [after Independence],” said Jaan Tallinn, a senior programmer. “There were no legacies to deal with, like with bank checks, which were already obsolete, so companies could create new systems and people used them.”As expected, the center-right coalition government of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip would remain in power after today’s elections. The country’s astonishing economic growth rate, now running at 12% annually, was the winning card – offset by grave social problems ranging from ethnic tensions to a declining population base.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Another British Troop Withdrawal from Iraq

Roger Choate — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:46:40 EST

Even as President Bush pushes for a “surge” of U.S. involvement in Iraq, America’s closest ally in the debacle has announced yet another troop withdrawal. British Prime Minister Tony Blair today told the packed House of Commons in London the 7,100 remaining troops would be cut to 5,500 soon. He hoped that 500 more would leave by late summer.The announcement by Blair was lauded by the Opposition. Conservative Leader David Cameron told MPs that the withdrawal would be “welcomed in this House, in the country and especially to the families of those serving in Iraq over the coming months.”Because of Iraq, Blair has been in deep political trouble in Britain, where opinion polls suggest a deep abhorrence to the civil war in general and President Bush in particular – satirized as a cowboy not quite up to the job. The prime minister is now attempting to distance himself from his once-firm stance on Iraq. Initially, more than 40,000 British troops were stationed there. Blair himself is expected to resign as prime minister no later than September after a 10-year tenure generally considered marred by his political commitment to Bush and the Iraqi conflict. The Labour leader is expected to be succeeded by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, who promises to distance himself from the White House and “speak his mind.”Earlier this week, tiny Denmark said it would withdraw its contingent of 460 troops serving under British command. Even tinier Lithuania plans to follow suit.The U.S. has 132,000 troops in Iraq, followed by Britain with 7,100 and South Korea, at 2,300.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Refugee-Friendly Sweden Attracts War-Weary Iraqis

Roger Choate — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:45:29 EST

Largely barred from U.S. entry, growing numbers of Iraqi refugees are knocking on the doors of Europe – and particularly refugee-friendly Sweden.The estimated 20,000 refugees who found haven last year in northerly Sweden are only a handful compared to around 1.8 million who have stampeded into neighboring Syria and Jordan. The difference is that Sweden is attracting both the very wealthy and also highly qualified middle-class professionals.With some 36,000 additional Iraqis expected to turn up this year at Stockholm Airport, the Swedish government says it now needs to share the burden with other Europeans, who are more restrictive. "There simply must be solidarity between member states in the European Union (EU), and that more and more EU countries can share this responsibility and offer protection for the refugees," wrote two Swedish government ministers in a newspaper article yesterday. Sweden, with a population of only 9 million, also seeks EU financial assistance to deal with Iraqi refugees.Europe was quick to respond. The European Union said today it will take up the matter immediately with member states at the request of Sweden. "This should be a problem, as well, for other member countries," said Franco Frattini, EU Justice Minister. He was speaking at a press conference following a meeting in Brussels of all the justice, interior, and immigration ministers within the 27-nation European Union.Germany, as EU powerhouse, has received only 1,918 Iraqi asylum applications in the first six months of last year. Freewheeling Sweden – with a long tradition of political neutrality – offers more favorable preconditions for refugees and exiles.The U.S. granted asylum to only 202 Iraqis last year, citing security reasons. The Swedish attitude is very different. "We don’t turn anyone back. Look at the circumstances they have left," said an officer at the Swedish Migration Board.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Arctic Reindeer Face Starvation Threat

Roger Choate — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 14:08:46 EST

For millennia the Lappish (Sami) tribes of northern Sweden have tended reindeer herds - not too demanding, as professions go. These enterprising animals normally fend for themselves. During the long polar winter they simply nose their way straight downwards through the soft snow to munch on moss and lichen.Until now. Unseasonably mild weather last month created slushy wet snow that suddenly has congealed into an impenetrable sheet of ice across many meadows – impossible for reindeer to graze and find fodder.Panicked herders are now purchasing expensive fodder to prevent starvation of an estimated 138,000 reindeer – a staple meat product in the Scandinavian diet. The Sami National Council has appealed to the Swedish Government for 87 million kronor ($12 million) in emergency aid to keep the animals alive during the long winter that can stretch into May. “There aren’t many herders who can afford to go on like this,” says Inger Baer-Omma, chairperson of a Sami village council.The government reacted quickly over the weekend. “We’re going to prioritize this [emergency appeal] with all deliberate speed,” Swedish Agriculture Minister Eskil Erlandsson told the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. Fit To Be TriedAs kissing cousin to venison, reindeer meat is favored in northern regions of the world like Alaska and Canada and, certainly, Scandinavia, where reindeer have been herded since Year One by the Sami tribes. Not fully domesticated, these free-range animals end up as rack-of-reindeer, chops, and in aromatic stews: last year more than 50,000 tons were processed in Sweden alone. Typically, packaged reindeer meat is found in frozen meat shelves in supermarkets across the Scandinavian Peninsula – and is also sold fresh, of course.The Scandinavian secret is slowly going global. Last month the giant IKEA furniture chain introduced reindeer delicacies in their in-store cafeterias across Europe. Meantime, powder that’s ground from reindeer antlers is snapped up by potency-minded male consumers in Asia. An Illinois takeaway offered reindeer hot dogs, just before Christmas, at $8 a shot. “The meat’s a bit firmer than a Chicago Vienna Hot Dog,” explained Fred Markoff, proprietor of Fredhots & Fries in Glenview. “I got the idea after tasting reindeer in Alaska, thought it would go down well here.” Reindeer herds are now raised successfully in the continental US, where anything is possible: in Texas, Mississippi and Tennessee. “Reindeer breeding can be fun and profitable too,” says the US-based Reindeer Owners and Breeders Association. Fit To Be StewedVery little in life makes Scandinavians more content than tucking into aromatic reindeer stew. Here’s an adaptation of a standard Swedish recipe.Grandpa's Own Reindeer StewMakes: 3-4 servings. Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 20 minutesEquipment1 large, deep fry pan or wokSpatula and stirring spoonIngredients1 package (240g =1/2 lb) frozen reindeer slices OR fresh reindeer cut into razor-thin slicesAbout 200g (1/3 lb) thickly sliced mushrooms – ordinary or chanterelles1 yellow onion, sliced or diced4 tablespoons pure butter – or margarine1 heaping tablespoon flour½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon thyme3-4 crushed juniper berries (optional)1/3 cup mushroom bouillon/stock¾ cup Crème Fraiche or thick cream2 tablespoons soyDirectionsBe sure the frozen or fresh reindeer meat is sliced into razor-thin strips. Now, slice the mushrooms – not too thinly. Slice the onions. Melt most of the butter or margarine over medium heat in a fry pan or wok. Sauté the reindeer strips very lightly – reindeer meat contains only 3% fat. Remove the strips, add the remainder of the butter, and sauté the mushroom and onions, 5-10 minutes. Now, add the sautéed reindeer and mix everything together. Sprinkle the flour over the stew and stir vigorously. Add salt, pepper and thyme and optional juniper berries – and keep stirring. Add mushroom bouillon and stir. Let everything bubble away for about 5 minutes. Now, add the crème fraiche or thick cream, and also soy, and let the stew simmer vigorously for 3 minutes. Serve immediately! Can be served with rice - or peeled, cooked potatoes the way Scandinavians do. Or serve with pasta, veggie or mixed salad.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Elections In Sweden: World's Happiest People?

Roger Choate — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 06:58:08 EDT

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - Way up here in the northern latitudes you’ll discover some people who ought to be the world’s happiest. They have more of everything: more holidays, more wall-to-wall welfare and more Volvos, relatively speaking, than almost anybody else. They even tend to live longer than anybody except the Japanese.We’re talking about Swedes, nine million of them, dispersed in a California-sized country of lakes and vast forests where a few wolves still roam. Not for nothing has the Financial Times labeled Sweden as one of the world’s most successful societies because of its potent mixture of welfare and high economic growth. A steady stream of analysts from Europe and developing countries treks to Stockholm to figure out how it all works.But... something strange happened over the weekend. Even as economic growth sizzled at 5.5% - highest in the developed world – voters yesterday booted out the long-reigning Social Democrats who largely made the Swedish model possible. Twelve years of unbroken rule ended close to midnight on Sunday when a right-of-center coalition led by Fredrik Reinfeldt, leader of Moderate Unity, took 48.1% of the vote, narrowly defeating the Social Democrats and their allies, who got 46.2%. Except for brief intervals, the Social Democrats and left-wing allies have ruled the roost since 1932.Hi there, we’re newPrime Minister-elect Reinfeldt pulled it off by repackaging his conservative party – describing them as “New Moderates”, aping New Labor in Britain. He lost no time shifting to the center of politics by pledging to uphold the welfare state. Then, he proclaimed unemployment as the No. 1 issue, thus usurping the traditional stamping grounds of the working class-based Social Democrats. The official jobless figure is 6.1%, down from around 8% two years ago and slowly declining – too slowly.“People who never had thought of voting for us have given us their vote,” said 41-year-old Reinfeldt in a victory speech to party workers and the nation. “We won because the Swedish people chose to stop turning a blind eye to, for example, unemployment.” The outgoing prime minister, bitter in defeat, swung back. Göran Persson said his party scored actual electoral gains in regions of high unemployment.Persson, 57, told stunned supporters he will resign as leader of the Social Democrats to let somebody younger step forward. He didn’t say who. “I fully understand that if you lose an election at age 57 and after 10 years as prime minister, it won’t be me who’ll spearhead the comeback.” Son of working class parents, Persson entered politics at age 15. Named as finance minister in 1994 and prime minister two years later, he hauled Sweden from depression, bank crashes and soaring indebtedness into a more serene sphere of trade surpluses and thriving global businesses. Even opponents concede that he did it all deftly.Stayed too long?Some pundits suggest the voters perhaps got bored with Persson and wanted to see fresh faces.Perhaps. But nearly 35% of the electorate could only make up their minds on Election Day or even behind the polling booth – suggesting something else. Politics, it seems, had become blurred. The “new” Moderates and their coalition grabbed so much territory in the central arena that it was difficult to determine distinctions between the parties.Even so, Reinfeldt’s focus on unemployment did strike a nerve. Like people everywhere, Swedes fear unemployment like the plague. In wake of accelerating mechanization and globalization, very few jobs are permanently secure. He has promised more jobs by encouraging tax breaks for companies, among other things, in order to stimulate new hiring, particularly of young people. He would also like to enable tax cuts for wage earners and eventual abolition of property tax while offering new perks like subsidized housecleaning. Swedish schoolchildren, meantime, will be graded much earlier, while state hospitals may also host private clinics on their premises.Not all voters read the fine print. Reinfeldt and his coalition want a sharp cut in state unemployment benefits after the first 180 days to help pay for income tax breaks. Union membership would no longer be tax deductible in New Sweden – a potential blow to the labor movement. Social Democrats maintain that unemployment insurance cutbacks could force people into accepting low wage jobs. Damaging the finances of organized labor could have the same effect.Reinfeldt has a four-year mandate and wants to remain in power after that; some programs may be soft peddled. But in a nation with the lowest income gaps in Europe, Sweden may become somewhat less than equal during his stewardship. In addition, the gains that Sweden has made through globalization may well be offset by a shift in the balance of power against workers and in favor of companies.Sweden, in other words, may become more like the rest of Europe.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.

Rumbling In Paradise - Swedish National Elections on Sunday

Roger Choate — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:47:01 EDT

(Stockholm) If paradise could be visited, it might resemble Sweden, the envy of Europe: an under-populated northern country enjoying phenomenal economic growth mixed with generous welfare benefits.Now, somebody is usually responsible for a happy state of affairs. In the case of Sweden, that person is Göran Persson, the Social Democratic prime minister for more than 10 years and finance minister before that. A brilliant autodidact, he never quite finished college, moving instead into politics as a working class teenager. He’s never looked back.A legend in his time, Persson nonetheless runs the risk of being booted out of office in general elections on Sunday as voters contemplate a lurch to the right.Are they ungrateful? Or merely bored?There’s a puzzle here.Phenomenal growthEven Persson’s opponents privately concede his formative role in hauling Sweden from the depths of depression, bank crashes and soaring indebtedness in the '90s into a happier world of trade surpluses and booming business. Annual growth in 2006 is currently running at 5.5% in the second quarter - highest in the developed world, according to economic indicators in The Economist.The joy is boundless. A global "attitude" poll by the Pew Institute says the 9 million Swedes are among the happiest people on the planet. Observers ranging from the Organization for Economic Development (OECD) to the Financial Times view Sweden as one of the world's most successful societies because of its potent mixture of welfare and economic growth.So it's understandable that Persson, with these kinds of rave reviews, should be a shoe-in for another four year term. But polls in recent months almost consistently show the center-right opposition in the lead, though the gap has now narrowed to razor-thin margins.A poll released on Wednesday showed the opposition with a lead of 1.3 percent, while another poll yesterday found the Social Democrats and their allies leading by 48.7% against 47.2% for the opposition - a four-party coalition calling itself the Alliance for Sweden. Uniquely for a European coalition, they have adopted a common electoral platform or "manifesto."Commentators say it’s too close to call. The Alliance is led by the relatively youthful Fredrik Reinfeldt of the right-wing New Moderates Party commanding about 25% of voter sympathy. It has spun itself into the center of Swedish politics by pointing to persistent unemployment while endorsing the welfare model. It pledges continued high taxation to pay the tab. Reinfeldt has even rebaptized his party, now called the New Moderates instead of merely Moderates - shamelessly aping Tony Blair’s New Labour Party in Britain.Reinfeldt may well be prime minister by next week.To win any Swedish election, you have to at least sound Social Democratic. They have governed modern Sweden, with few exceptions, since 1932.Privately, Reinfeldt and his supporters don’t much like welfare states and high public taxation. "People should stand on their own two feet" is their rightist refrain. Still, he has stated for public consumption: "The Swedish model, with its tax-financed welfare sector and comprehensive social security system, has contributed to increased security for many people."He goes on to state that "it has led to greater equality between men and women."But there’s a backside. Reinfeldt says the official unemployment rate of 6% has been massaged to exclude citizens in job retraining or make-work government programs, students, housewives, those on long-term sick leave, and early retirees who had no other choice.Spun to appealHis actual solution for creating jobs sounds dubious, to say the least, but has been spun to appeal.Reinfeldt proposes modest tax cuts for wage earners, probable abolition of conventional property taxes, possible privatization of a state industry or two, and tax breaks for companies to encourage employment. All this, he reckons, is supposed to keep the economy moving along nicely, increase demand, and, presumably, create more jobs while also appeasing his middle and upper class supporters and corporates. And without saying so, Reinfeldt (like Persson) is counting on continued brisk economic growth that could even result in labor shortages. Increased immigration is probably in the cards.But in the same breath, Reinfeldt proposes a sharp cut in unemployment benefits to pay for the tax breaks, along with probable higher fees for National Health and prescriptions. In heavily unionized Sweden, union membership would no longer be tax deductible – a potentially lethal blow to the labor movement.He is well aware that Swedes, along with their neighbors in Denmark and Norway, groan under a tax burden that shocks outsiders. Until recently VAT of 25% was exacted on groceries. Twenty-five per cent is exacted on energy costs that are spiraling. Personal income tax rates are almost regressive, starting at around 30% of each earned krona - hitting lower income groups severely. Middle and upper income categories have it relatively better, paying around 35-50%.You never had it so good (Swedish style)Opposition Leader Reinfeldt’s natural constituency of middle and upper middle class citizens is doing just fine, thanks.A middle class married woman in Stockholm of our acquaintance, whom we’ll call Ann-Britt, grosses 40,000 kronor monthly (US$5,400) as a civil servant, and has about 24,000 (US$3,300) at her disposal after taxation. About 40% tax, in other words. Her husband Bengt in the private sector earns about the same, plus bonuses and fringes like a Volvo station wagon.Ann-Britt and Bengt get tax-free child allowances for their three kids, who also are entitled to state subsidized daycare and free medical and dental. Maternity and/or paternity leave totals 480 days, with the State guaranteeing 80% of their salaries – with exceptions until they return to their jobs. If their children fall sick, they’re entitled to home leave with pay until the kids recover. Ann-Britt and Bengt are also entitled by law to a minimum five week vacation, but like many Swedes they get more than that.Should these benighted citizens lose their jobs they’ll get 80% of their salaries up to a certain point, thanks to state unemployment insurance. Job retraining is free.Upon their demise, burial plots are guaranteed under the provisions of the mandatory Burial Tax (begravningsskatt) they paid during their halcyon years.Not much to complain aboutReinfeldt has solid support from the business community, even though they have little to complain about. Corporate taxation and average wages are so attractively low, relatively speaking, that big-time Chinese entrepreneurs plan to set up shop in the Swedish city of Kalmar rather than higher-cost Germany. Giant Swedish multinationals like SKF and Ericsson, meantime, remain entrenched in the home country because overall wage levels, among other things, are relatively lower than continental Europe.Small companies have a good deal, too, despite their carefully orchestrated complaints. Setting up in Sweden is uncomplicated and unbureaucratic, with legal mechanisms in place to ensure that entrepreneurs can retain profits for long periods (so-called “expansion funds”) within their companies. Company taxation is low or non-existent, depending on the professionalism of accountants.Having said this, Swedes are a cautious folk who generally don’t like starting from scratch. Company startups are historically low, though rising rapidly.But back to the main question: with all these incentives favoring the Social Democrats – plus the rocketing economy – how has Reinfeldt managed to wean ungrateful Swedes to his Alliance?One explanation is offered by Jan Eliasson, the Foreign Minister. Noting that the Social Democrats have mainly run the show since 1932 -- with few exceptions -- he suggests that there is simply “a desire for change.”Cool guyPerhaps. Reinfeldt, at 41, comes across as cool and highly articulate while the 57-year-old Persson, despite oratorical gifts, almost lost his grip during the campaign by letting a key issue like unemployment slip through his fingers. Meantime, the nation’s overwhelmingly right-wing media shrilly focuses on Persson’s real or alleged shortcomings. A formidable politician, he is frequently denounced as “presidential” - meant to be a criticism.The government’s relative slowness in responding to the tsunami in which 543 Swedes died has not been forgotten either. The fact that most governments responded slowly is not mentioned. A short string of small scandals -- trifling by European standards -- provides further grist for the media maulers.But the key issue is undoubtedly unemployment, which Reinfeldt cleverly put at the top of his agenda. – thus grabbing a domain long occupied by the working class Social Democrats. In the waning days of the campaign, the prime minister has finally positioned unemployment at the top of his agenda. It may be too late.Like people everywhere, Swedes fear unemployment. In view of increased mechanization and globalization, virtually no private sector job is permanently secure. Reinfeldt’s proposed reduction in unemployment insurance may be a strategic error that could cost him the election.Or perhaps not.Seldom mentioned by Reinfeldt or Persson are the implications of EU membership for Sweden as a relatively small national state. Another hugely neglected issue is globalization – the real name of the game in a trading nation like Sweden. But in an article written last year for the OECD Observer, Persson acknowledged the power of globalizing forces. "We must learn to live with increased competition and the rapid changes it involves."But competitive pressure can also give rise to periods of unemployment and insecurity that affect people's everyday lives," wrote the prime minister. "We must ensure that globalisation is not perceived as a threat. We must facilitate change by providing bridges from the old to the new. People must feel secure in order to seek the full benefits of change."He said "this is about education and life-long learning. It is about broad social security and active labour market policies. It is about equal opportunities for men and women on the labour market…"For this reason, he said, "I strongly believe in the close link between successful competitiveness and a strong welfare state."That link goes to the voters on Sunday.

Roger Choate is BC International Political Editor. In earlier incarnations he worked with the Associated Press in the U.S. - and Reuters and The Times in London. He resides in Stockholm, Sweden.