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Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

bbc.com

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Re: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

#4
I think it shouldn't be understated the significance of this. It is extremely rare for a constitutional monarch to so publicly undermine the democratically elected government. The Danish Queen and Norwegian King made speeches this Spring, where they were very careful to not undermine the government's strategy, but rather emphasis the significance of the pandemic.

Additionally, in Sweden, it is has become pretty recognisable by all that the Swedish approach has failed, but no one is willing to take the blame. The King effectively cuts through all this, and says the blame lies squarely with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.

In political terms, I wonder how long Löfven's government will last.

Re: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

#5
I don't get the criticism of the guidance being "voluntary". The bigger question is more in compliance, no?

That is, if they have compliance rates that are comparable to the countries that do have legal recourse, do we have reason to think legal recourse would have gotten them better compliance?

Re: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

#7
post #3

I don't see how the Swedish king's opinion on this has any more weight than asking a random person on the street.

I'm not defending Monarchy in any way, but it's his job to care about the Swedish populace. That he hasn't been elected to this position doesn't mean that he does not fulfill his job, so I would assume that at least he is better informed than the random person on the street.

Re: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

#8
post #3

I don't see how the Swedish king's opinion on this has any more weight than asking a random person on the street.

I'm not defending Monarchy in any way, but it's his job to care about the Swedish populace. That he hasn't been elected to this position doesn't mean that he does not fulfill his job, so I would assume that at least he is better informed than the random person on the street.

He is technically the head of state, which means that he probably speaks for the government in some way or form.

Re: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

#9
post #4

I think it shouldn't be understated the significance of this. It is extremely rare for a constitutional monarch to so publicly undermine the democratically elected government. The Danish Queen and Norwegian King made speeches this Spring, where they were very careful to not undermine the government's strategy, but rather emphasis the significance of the pandemic. Additionally, in Sweden, it is has become pretty recog…

You say that the prime minister is to blame, but the King doesn't say so explicitly, and I point this out because in Sweden's media climate it is for some reason not obvious that the PM is to blame when it all falls short. Because they (the PM and cabinet and the health authority) name their own factors and institutions that they blame.

I think the PM should take responsibility, so evidently say you, but unfortunately the King didn't say that.

Re: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

#10
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not defending Monarchy in any way, but it's his job to care about the Swedish populace. That he hasn't been elected to this position doesn't mean that he does not fulfill his job, so I would assume that at least he is better informed than the random person on the street.

He is technically the head of state, which means that he probably speaks for the government in some way or form.

Nah, he's detached from the Government and has no formal power at all. He is however a very public person, and pretty much never offers any dissenting views from the government.
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