Sweden A Narrow Win For Palme

"The Swedish model has survived. We have won a battle for the society of well-being against the neoliberal right!" So said a relieved Olof Palme, 58, after winning a fourth term last week as Sweden's Prime Minister. But the veteran Social Democratic Party leader could hardly boast of a triumph at the polls. His center-left party, which stands squarely for the welfare state, actually lost seven of its 166 seats in the 349-member Riksdag (parliament), as its share of the popular vote fell from 45.6% in 1982 to 44.9%. Thus Palme will have to rely increasingly on the support of the...

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