Efter EU-medlemskapet. Nya linjer i svensk utrikespolitik?

Abstract

Title: After the EU Membership – New Strategies in Swedish Foreign Politics?

After becoming a member of the EU in 1995 Sweden has been governed by the Social Democrats (1995–2006) and by a Centre-Right coalition (2006–2014) led by the Moderate Party. Has the EU-membership conserved the tradition of consensus amongst the political parties regarding the foreign policy or has it provided a new platform allowing the parties to express their different ideological preferences also in this field of politics? The aim of this article is to shed light on the foreign policy of the Social Democrats and the Moderate Party 1995–2014. By analyzing the debates in the Swedish parliament, Riksdagen, it is concluded that the two parties have similar strategies regarding the means and the ways of the foreign policy but different approach regarding the views on the international settings and the ends of the policy. A potential explanation to the findings is the resurrection of Realism in the Moderate Party’s approach.