Swedish political scientist: Moderate's call to 'discard' struggling Liberals has merit

Christian Sonesson, a local leader within the Moderate Party, has publicly suggested that the parties forming the current government coalition should consider "discarding" the Liberal Party. This provocative statement comes in the wake of the Liberals' consistently low performance in opinion polls, which show them struggling to reach the 4% threshold required for parliamentary representation.

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In some sense, he has a point.

Sonesson argued that to maintain a strong "right-wing" bloc, the coalition parties cannot afford to have 2.5% of the vote effectively wasted. He believes that efforts should be made to "save what can be saved," implying a strategic realignment of political support. This sentiment reflects a growing internal pressure within the conservative bloc regarding the Liberals' viability.

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If we are to have a sporting chance on the right side, 2.5 percent of the voters' votes cannot be relegated to the waste paper basket.

Political scientists acknowledge that Sonesson's point has some validity, noting that 2.5% is a critical juncture where voters may begin to shift their allegiance. Jonas Hinnfors, a professor emeritus of political science, explained that at this level, potential "support voters" might not act as such, rendering those votes ineffective for the broader political side. He also pointed to two potential scenarios for the government parties: either coordinated efforts to present a united front or a "desperation" to save individual parties, with Sonesson's call being an example of the latter. Meanwhile, Christian Democratic leader Ebba Busch has publicly defended the Liberals, stating it is "too early to count out" the party and its leader.

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It is too early to count out L and even less Simona Mohamsson because of an opinion poll. That is the wrong way to go and ungrateful towards a party with which we have governed the country commendably.