Anna Lindh, the Foreign Minister, was stabbed today. She's expected to survive, though her injuries are pretty serious. She's one of my least favorite political leaders in Europe, but this is still pretty upsetting. Of course, only 18 years ago PM Olaf Palme was murdered.
i did see this story and it's real scary how she was stabbed in a shopping mall right in front of everyone. Just a very odd story.
According to Aftonbladet in Sweden, Lindh was in surgery for 9 hours, and she is still in critical condition at this point. Lindh had been the foreign minister since 1998, and was considered by some to be the next in line to take over from Prime Minister Goran Persson, as leader of the ruling Social Democratic party. Politically, the only thing going on in Sweden right now is a referendum on the Euro, scheduled for September 14. Lindh was a supporter of the Euro, but most polls have the No vote winning at this point. Most campaign activities have been suspended, but no decision has been made on postponing the referendum.
Jesus, Ben. How closely do you follow Swedish politics to have ranked their 3rd in line to the PM? In the words of evil Captain Kirk from episode 32, "Get a life."
Göran Persson, the swedish Prime minister says it was an attack on democracy- but he doesnt no who did it yet. Either this is some mentally disturbed guy who did it or it is some neo nazi- they coursed a lot of trouble in sweden a few years ago. Allthough I have no sympathy what so ever for guttless swedish politicians this is very disturbing for our open scandinavian democracies Heja Sverige!
Someday I'm going to make sure i visit Scandinavia, namely Sweden and Denmark. And gutless in what respect? Because they won't adopt the Euro, or is it something else? Do tell.
That can´t be it because Lindh was in favor for the euro. Sweden has scheduled the referendum due to the death of Lindh. So many sick people in this world.
She was one of the most popular politicians in Sweden. She, no doubt, had higher ratings recently for her strong stance against the US and W in the lead-up to the war in Iraq. She was also, like most Swedish politicians, very approachable. They don't have much security detail with them.(Only the prime minister has bodyguards, two in plainclothes. But it's been announced that more will be guarding the politicians and the king now as well as more protection for government buildings.) It's a shame. "Jag ser dådet som ett angrepp mot vårt öppna samhälle"
The cabinet is meeting if the Euro referendum is going to be scheduled. Sorry that I posted the schedule as a fact.
pretty schocking to say the least many saw in her the first female prime minister of sweden she was the leading spokesperson for the pro-euro side and the referendum is still going to be held september the 14th although all campaigning from both sides has stopped.
Ironically, this may push the vote over to a 'YES' vote. Kind of like the way the LPF was so succesfull in the elections in Holland after Pim Fortuyn was shot. Not that I want to compare Anna Lindh to Pim Fortuyn in any way...
Very sad. According to CNN, "Authorities said they did not think the stabbing was politically motivated. " Why are they saying this? An eyewitness saw a man chase her up an escalator from the basement of a department store. Nothing was stolen. It's obvious that she was specifically targeted. I suppose there's a miniscule chance it was a personal issue, but that seems highly unlikely.
It's true that she was almost certainly specifically targeted, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was politically motivated (although I wouldn't rule it out, either). Politicians are also celebrities, so it could have just been some random psycho, as in the Reagan assassination attempt.
It looks like the vote will go on as planned: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/09/11/sweden.euro.reut/index.html