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9/20/06

Independent Online: The big question: Is Europe turning away from the social democrat model? - by Stephen Castle


For the complete report in the Independent Online click on this link

Is Europe turning away from the social democrat model? - by Stephen Castle- by Stephen Castle

Sunday's elections in Sweden ended the 10-year premiership of Göran Persson and ushered in a new coalition of centre-right parties led by Fredrik Reinfeldt. The scale of Mr Reinfeldt's achievement should not be underestimated; the Social Democrats have been in power for all but nine years since 1932 and created a welfare state which is the envy of much of Europe.Sweden's vote is a jolt to the parties of the left. During this decade the picture across the continent has been more mixed. Spain and Italy have moved to the left, but Germany and Poland have shifted to the right. The most striking aspect of recent contests is that the voters seem almost split down the middle in most countries.

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