Swedish Govt Gains Heavily

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31786, 17 September 1968, Page 13

Swedish Govt Gains Heavily

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) STOCKHOLM, September 16. Sweden’s Social Democrats swept to a landslide General Election victory early today, consolidating 36 years of office with a gain of 12 seats on their pre-election total of 113.

Before yesterday’s General Election, the Socialists ruled with a hair’s breadth one-seat majority in the 233-seat Lower House, and opinion polls predicted that they would be swept out of office. But preliminary calculations showed that the ruling party gained 50.9 per cent of the votes—an 8 per cent improvement on its showing in the 1966 municipal elections and 3.6 per cent up on their vote in the 1964 General Election. The main losers were the Communists—who dropped five of their eight seats, and the liberals, down from 43 to 33. Computer forecasts show that the Socialists may gain a further two seats when all the 300,000 outstanding postal votes are counted. The only opposition gains went to the Centre Party, who jumped from 35 to 39 seats, taking over the Liberals’ role as leading non-Leftist party. The tiny United Opposition Party retained its solitary seat, while the Conservatives lost one of their 33 repre sentatives in the Lower House. Almost from the start, it was clear that the Government was going to hold its own and add another two years to its 36-year rule.

But Mr Erlander, aged 67, Prime Minister for the last 22 years, beamed happily among the remnants of a giant smorgasbord at the party headquarters and expressed astonishment at his party’s “enormous success." Apart from the heavy gains from the Communists, the Social Democrats had obviously succeeded in mobilising the stay-at-homes who brought about their 1966 slump, and raking in a large number of the significant 625,000 electors voting for the first time. Top party members and jubilant supporters were this morning still celebrating the landslide victory. Show busi-

ness celebrities packed into the party’s election headquarters in the city centre, showering Mr Erlander with flowers, while top officials were tossed into the air. Three floors below the Government celebrations the Communist election saloon was dark and deserted.