Election time is upon us, or at least upon European countries.
One such place is Norway, one of the Scandinavian countries known more for its easy going, socialist ideology, than for extremist beliefs.
Things could change however, and soon. Many argue that that change has already occurred and that it takes the form of multiethnicity, spurred by a wave of immigration from many countries, including Iraq, but also from people who have come to avail themselves of a great social structure which provides for people's needs from cradle to grave.
The backlash however, would not be long in coming. An abhorrent example of the subtle if not secret unrest the wave of immigration engendered, can be seen in the rise of neonazi sympathizers, and the horrible Utoya Island massacre perpetrated by its crazed standard bearer, Anders Breijvik. But as horrific as that episode was, it did not seem to diminish the rise of a party whose primary objective is to stop immigration.
The party, called Progress Party, stands a good chance to gain power in some way, either by winning the elections, or by getting enough votes to have a decisive voice in the parliamentary structure.
Norway is a country of some contradiction. Although it is known for its quasi socialist structure, it is an oil rich country, with a strong economy and very low unemployment. Education is also among the best in the world.
Why then, does a right leaning party gain so much favor with the people? In fact, mass murderer Breijvik was a member of the Progress Party before the attack. One would think that the party would have lost its clout after the horrific incident.
Many Norse, however, are very disturbed about the PP's rise to power. The right wing partyhas almost 16% of the vote, with all other parties holding about 7% maximum for the vote, allowing the PP to seem quite strong compared to their opponents.
One of the survivors of the Utoya massacre, who is one of 33 survivors who are running for a seat with the Labour party, is very afraid of the rhethoric still employed by the PP party, which is all anti-immigration. That kind of talk, she says, fosters more hatred and more hostility.
What is even more reproachable is the use by the PP party of Breijvik's massacre as a campaign point, that advocates using more of the state budget for better police, and infrastructure. Although one of the problems with the massacre was the slow response and scarce helicopter availability, it seems almost mad that such a fact could be used by the party.
Although the PP party has thinned its ranks of its most radical members, in certain points their rhethoric betrays the same hardline they held before the horrible incident. As a matter of fact, the Labour party only got a temporary boost after the massacre, and returned to its moderate support soon after.
Some people of course do blame the Labour party for its permissive immigration policies, but even more they blame the Labour party for its lack of police ineptitude, although Norway was a country with very low crime rates.
This change, however, if it does occur, could signify a dramatic shift in the way Norway at large thinks and is perceived.
Partial Source: The Guardian/Al Jazeera/ 9.9.13
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