Magic Number 90%

Sweden, one of the advanced countries that most effectively manages contentious bills, has mechanisms to reach compromises through sufficient consultation. A representative example is the State Official Reports (SOU) system. In Sweden, for policies that may cause social conflict, the government gathers opinions from ruling and opposition politicians, expert groups, and the public through thorough investigation and deliberation to draft legislative amendments. This process is documented in the SOU reports. From the bill drafting stage, the government, parliament, expert groups, and citizens engage in intense discussions together. Although it takes an average of about one and a half years, this procedure is recognized as essential to prevent institutional reforms and social conflicts. This approach is unfamiliar in South Korea’s political sphere, where legislation is often rushed whenever issues arise, and where the ruling party’s legislative dominance and resulting partisan conflicts ha

Walking through the corridor connected to the Swedish Parliament building, there are 349 office doors tightly lined up. This space is where 349 members of parliament from eight political parties work, similar to the National Assembly Members' Office Building in South Korea. Each office is so cramped that it barely fits when you stretch out your arms, making it difficult to work alone. There are no exceptions, whether the member is a first-term or a veteran. This contrasts with South Korea’s Members' Office Building, which separately provides offices for lawmakers, staff workspaces, and reception rooms, and has even expanded to a second building. Sweden, known for its "working parliament," does not allow members of parliament to hire personal aides. Instead, each party receives subsidies to pay salaries for their staff, supporting legislative activities. Members of parliament commute by bicycle or on foot. They do not receive chauffeurs or official cars for work purposes. It is common t

Last month, when the coin investment allegations against independent lawmaker Kim Nam-guk shook the political world, young politicians on the opposite side of the globe in Sweden fiercely debated measures to reduce employment tax burdens to increase youth hiring. Even Sweden, known as a 'welfare paradise,' has recently faced conflicts due to high tax burdens. Youth employment and job issues are common problems in developed countries, but Sweden's approach to solving them differed from that of South Korea. Young people actively participated in politics to drive institutional changes. Douglas Thor, chairman of the Moderate Youth League (MUF), the youth political union of the Moderate Party, emphasized in an interview with Asia Economy at the MUF office in Stockholm on the 15th of last month that "(young people) must present practical and feasible measures to bring about real change when issues arise." One in three party members are aged 12 to 30... "By their 20s, they are already familia

Denmark has active political participation among its youth. These young politicians enter the Danish Parliament, presenting new challenges and encouraging political engagement among the younger generation. The government is also proactive in supporting youth political participation and nurturing young politicians. This is cited as a key reason why Denmark, a politically advanced country, has achieved a near 90% voter turnout, a dream figure. According to the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) on the 16th, the proportion of politicians under 40 in Denmark is 34.64%. The average age of members of parliament is 45.65 years, nearly 10 years younger than in Korea. The proportion of female members is as high as 43.6%. Local councils are also elected through proportional representation, and among the 55 Copenhagen city council members, excluding three who turned 30 this year, 12 are under 30 years old. This is the biggest difference compared to Korea’s parliament. Currently, in the 21st

Ranked No. 1 in National Competitiveness Worldwide. Denmark, the 'political powerhouse' of Northern Europe, has as many as 16 parties in its parliament. The diverse political voices witnessed at Denmark's political festival 'Folkemødet' last month were echoed in the Danish parliament, the 'Folketinge.' In Denmark's multi-party system under the parliamentary cabinet system, where the majority party in parliament forms the executive branch, dialogue and persuasion are essential 'political skills' to form coalition governments. Additionally, a voter turnout approaching 90% has been the driving force behind the Danish parliament becoming a political stage for voters. This is why the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, which has embarked on 'political reform' by prioritizing electoral system reform since early this year, should pay attention to Danish politics. According to the Swiss International Institute for Management Development (IMD) on the 14th, Denmark ranked first in the wo

Bornholm, located on the Baltic Sea coast 180 km southeast of Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. Hundreds of tents were set up from early morning in Allinge, a small town with a population of 1,400 on the island's northern coast. The tents, prepared by various political parties including the ruling party, labor unions, and civic groups, were bustling with crowds. At Denmark's largest political event, Folkemøde, attendees freely exchanged political views. Birgit Hamming (45), a member of Denmark's progressive Red-Green Alliance, said, "I attended to recruit members because our vote count was low in the last election," emphasizing, "It is necessary to let everyone know that not everyone is a liberal or conservative; there are also socialists." Folkemøde is a Danish political event that started in 2011 with the aim of narrowing the gap between citizens and policymakers, building trust, and strengthening democracy. Translated as "People's Meeting," this event is held annually for three da

내년 국회의원 총선거가 9개월 앞으로 다가왔다. 선거가 다가올수록 '국정 안정론'을  앞세운 정부여당과 '정권 심판론'의 야당간 힘겨루기는 더욱 치열해지는 모습이다. 건설적인 토론이나 합의 절차가 사라진 정치권에선 원색적인 비난과 헐뜯기가 난무하고 있고, 대한민국의 양당정치는 벼랑 끝을 향해 내달리고 있다. 정치는 국민의 무관심을 넘어 혐오의 대상으로 전락했다. 언제까지 '정치 무관심→낮은 투표율→양당 정