Stockholm
Swedes chose to continue paying the highest taxes in Europe this week when they voted to keep the Social Democrats in office. Four conservative parties tried valiantly to copy the recent success of right-wing parties in France, Italy, Denmark, and other European countries. But the leftists, who have controlled Sweden for all but nine of the past 70 years, prevailed once again with their platform of free markets plus a strong social safety net. “We Social Democrats in Europe have had some sad days recently,” said Prime Minister Goran Persson. “Maybe Sweden is the exception.”
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