Have I ever said that I find Swedish politicians both amusing and scary? Yes I have.
Politics again. I'm sorry, but it triggered too many of my pet peeves to let it be.
Mr Morgan Johansson, former minister of... well, something between public health and social well-being, speaking in parliament debate today according to the Swedish radio:
"Folket har inte valt de där slängkapporna i EG-domstolen. De är oavsättliga. De deltar inte i något offentligt samtal, de fattar beslut och sedan är det locket på. Makten har talat."
"The people hasn't elected those capes in the European Court of Justice. They are irremovable. They don't participate in any public debate, they make decisions and that's it. The power has spoken."
"Har man rätt att vidta fackliga stridsåtgärder för att hävda svenska kollektivavtal? Alltså den ordning som växte fram under 20- och 30-talen med arbetsdomstol och Saltsjöbadsavtal och som nu några jurister i Bryssel ska sitta och döma över. Det är egentligen inte klokt när man tänker på det."
"Does one have the right to engage in union blockades to protect Swedish collective contracts? The order that grew in place in the 20s and 30s with labour court and Saltsjöbad agreements and that now some lawyers in Brussels will be judging over. It's really insane when you think about it."
Um, you know, it's not insane at all. It's very much how constitutional courts work (and I know the ECJ isn't a constitutional court per se, but close enough; and we - you - have signed the treaties so deal with it and stop whining). Upholding the rule of law, the constitution, being a not outright political body controlling that the government don't misuse their powers too much and haphazardly. Checks and balances and all that. But then, how should you know, seeing that your predecessors never got around to give us a constitutional court like in every normal country.
Oh, and Mr Johansson, last time I checked the court was in Luxembourg, not Brussels.
Mr Morgan Johansson, former minister of... well, something between public health and social well-being, speaking in parliament debate today according to the Swedish radio:
"Folket har inte valt de där slängkapporna i EG-domstolen. De är oavsättliga. De deltar inte i något offentligt samtal, de fattar beslut och sedan är det locket på. Makten har talat."
"The people hasn't elected those capes in the European Court of Justice. They are irremovable. They don't participate in any public debate, they make decisions and that's it. The power has spoken."
"Har man rätt att vidta fackliga stridsåtgärder för att hävda svenska kollektivavtal? Alltså den ordning som växte fram under 20- och 30-talen med arbetsdomstol och Saltsjöbadsavtal och som nu några jurister i Bryssel ska sitta och döma över. Det är egentligen inte klokt när man tänker på det."
"Does one have the right to engage in union blockades to protect Swedish collective contracts? The order that grew in place in the 20s and 30s with labour court and Saltsjöbad agreements and that now some lawyers in Brussels will be judging over. It's really insane when you think about it."
Um, you know, it's not insane at all. It's very much how constitutional courts work (and I know the ECJ isn't a constitutional court per se, but close enough; and we - you - have signed the treaties so deal with it and stop whining). Upholding the rule of law, the constitution, being a not outright political body controlling that the government don't misuse their powers too much and haphazardly. Checks and balances and all that. But then, how should you know, seeing that your predecessors never got around to give us a constitutional court like in every normal country.
Oh, and Mr Johansson, last time I checked the court was in Luxembourg, not Brussels.