Professor Jesper Stömbäck, Gothenburg University
My contribution will focus on how political parties adapt their policies to what they perceive is the policy demand among their targeted voters and other parties they want to collaborate with. One example is how the Moderates now, in contrast to their history, emphasize problems related to free movement instead of arguing for the positive value of it; another how the Sweden Democrats have abandoned their policy that Sweden should leave the EU.
The two most important policy issues on the EU-level are (a) how to combat climate change and (b) how to ensure that existing member countries do not weaken or undermine key democratic institutions, such as freedom of speech and religion and the rule of law. From this it follows that what’s most important with this year’s election is how parties that want to strengthen versus weaken EU in its fight against climate change and countries that in different ways undermine democracy will fare in the election.