Consequential

It is always tempting to privilege the present, to think that we stand at a critical juncture in time. But after four years of the Tidö government, the election coming up in nine days is no ordinary one. If the Sweden Democrats were to enter government directly – and every vote for the Tidö parties is a vote for exactly that – Sweden would take a very dark turn indeed. From the dismantling of public service to outright ethno-nationalism, this is not an election about specific policies or how much money one gets to keep in the wallet, but a fundamental test of who we are (and aspire to be).

That does not mean that the choice is simple on every dimension. It would clearly be detrimental to our chances of reining in climate change if Sweden’s nuclear ambitions were replaced by an even greater reliance on gas-dependent renewables. But a misguided energy policy can be reversed, reactors can still be built, and technological development will continue elsewhere. Some political choices are more difficult to undo.

Perhaps that is why Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny, which I am reading right now, feels particularly timely. His book is a useful reminder that democratic institutions are neither automatic nor indestructible, and that defending them ultimately depends on the choices ordinary people make while those choices are still theirs to make.