Svensson and Corazza Bildt set to stage election upset
Alf Svensson, the former leader of the Christian Democrats, and Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, the wife of the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt, appear set to claim seats in the EU parliament at the expense of their party colleagues.
Early projections indicate that the charismatic Alf Svensson has gained enough personal preference votes (personröst) to overtake the top name on the Christian Democrat party lists, Ella Bohlin, and claim the party's only seat in the EU parliament.
Despite lying ninth on the party list, Svensson remains a popular figure among Christian Democrat voters and has claimed a provisional 35 percent of the personal preference votes in comparison to Ella Bohlin's 17 percent.
Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, the Italian-born wife of Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt, occupied eighth place on the Moderate party list but is reported to have climbed to second thereby replacing Susanna Haby who was placed fourth on the Moderate party list.
Should the projections prove correct, Corazza Bildt will join Gunnar Hökmark, Christofer Fjellner and Anna Ibrisagic in occupying the party's four seats in the parliament won in Sunday's election.
Among the other parties, voter support in general reflected party preferences.
The Liberal party's top candidate Marit Paulsen claimed 48 percent of the personal preference votes. Paulsen will be joined by Olle Schmidt and Cecilia Wikström in Brussels.
The top five Social Democrat candidates, headed by Marita Ulvskog, appear to be secure in their positions and look likely to occupy the party's seats in the parliament.
The Left party's Eva-Britt Svensson is set to claim the party's only remaining mandate while the Centre party's top candidate Lena Ek is unchallenged for their seat.
If the early projections hold the Green party is set to send Carl Schlyter and Isabella Lövin to Brussels in accordance with the party preference, and the Pirate Party will complete the Swedish contingent with chairperson Christian Engström.
Sweden is allocated 18 seats in the EU parliament under the current system. On the provision that ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon is agreed and the parliament expanded to 750 members, this number would be increased to 20.
As of 30 May 2009, 23 of the total 27 member states have ratified the treaty.
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Early projections indicate that the charismatic Alf Svensson has gained enough personal preference votes (personröst) to overtake the top name on the Christian Democrat party lists, Ella Bohlin, and claim the party's only seat in the EU parliament.
Despite lying ninth on the party list, Svensson remains a popular figure among Christian Democrat voters and has claimed a provisional 35 percent of the personal preference votes in comparison to Ella Bohlin's 17 percent.
Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, the Italian-born wife of Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt, occupied eighth place on the Moderate party list but is reported to have climbed to second thereby replacing Susanna Haby who was placed fourth on the Moderate party list.
Should the projections prove correct, Corazza Bildt will join Gunnar Hökmark, Christofer Fjellner and Anna Ibrisagic in occupying the party's four seats in the parliament won in Sunday's election.
Among the other parties, voter support in general reflected party preferences.
The Liberal party's top candidate Marit Paulsen claimed 48 percent of the personal preference votes. Paulsen will be joined by Olle Schmidt and Cecilia Wikström in Brussels.
The top five Social Democrat candidates, headed by Marita Ulvskog, appear to be secure in their positions and look likely to occupy the party's seats in the parliament.
The Left party's Eva-Britt Svensson is set to claim the party's only remaining mandate while the Centre party's top candidate Lena Ek is unchallenged for their seat.
If the early projections hold the Green party is set to send Carl Schlyter and Isabella Lövin to Brussels in accordance with the party preference, and the Pirate Party will complete the Swedish contingent with chairperson Christian Engström.
Sweden is allocated 18 seats in the EU parliament under the current system. On the provision that ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon is agreed and the parliament expanded to 750 members, this number would be increased to 20.
As of 30 May 2009, 23 of the total 27 member states have ratified the treaty.
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