Winds of Change
Note to my American readers: In Europe, blue is the colour of the Right and Red the colour of the Left. I don’t know why you got it so terribly mixed up at some point, but just so you know: Blue is Right, Red is Wrong. In the same vein, liberal in Europe is usually used in the meaning of "classic liberal", meaning Equality before the Law, Free Trade, Spreading Democracy, etc.
The cartoon imbroglio seems to have made some impact on our fellow Northerners in the marxist-leninist people’s monarchy of Sweden and the social-democratic hill fort of Norway. According to Politiken, a survey by Sentio reports that the blue areas of Scandinavia are growing daily. In Denmark, the first bastion of social democratism to fall to the powers of good, Right wing parties DPP, The Conservativ and The Liberal Party stand to get 53.7% of all votes. In Sweden, the Alliance for Change stands to reap 55.5% of all votes - impressive for a country that is usually rules by turtle-necked social democratic dolts. Norway still hangs in the balance though. The Conservative parties of that country stand to gain slightly over last election, and would squeak into power with 50.1% of all votes if elections were held today.
Quote about the Danish People’s Party (DK) and the Progress Party (NO):
"The Forces of the Right in Denmark and Norway are riding with the wind in their backs. Our poll shows the Muhammed affair has mobilised many voters who didn’t vote in the last elections, but who would cast protest votes for the two parties today." [says Arve Østgård of Sentio to Altinget.dk]
A little background on the red-blue issue: The color assignment was made by mainstream TV networks probably in the 1996 or 2000 elections, likely as a play against type. Some on the right think it was an attempt to de-demonize the left in the US and make them look less left wing.
Comment by susie — March 6, 2006 @ 3:43 pm
I read the rules are such that the colors could switch in future elections.
The Orwellization of the word “liberal” IS rather annoying. But you can tweak people with it: Q: What U.S. president did the most to advance liberalism in the 20th century? A: Clearly, Reagan;)
Comment by ArtD0dger — March 8, 2006 @ 12:50 am