EU braced for pandemonium – Sweden dubbed ‘next one to leave’ before plunging into chaos

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A clash over housing policy in Sweden led to a full-blown government crisis on Monday as a fragmented parliament withdrew its support for Social Democrat Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. In a vote of no confidence, 181 lawmakers voted against Mr Löfven, with 109 in favour and 51 abstentions. Mr Löfven now has a week to decide whether to call a snap election, or resign and try to build a new governing coalition without a new election.

In voting to remove Mr Löfven, lawmakers from the Left Party — whose withdrawal of support for the Prime Minister on Thursday led to the vote — were joined by erstwhile rivals from the centre-right Moderate Party and Christian Democrats and the increasingly influential far-right Sweden Democrats (SD).

Like many European nations, from Finland to France and from Germany to Greece, Sweden has seen the emergence of an influential far-right anti-immigration and anti-EU political party, in this case the SD.

The SD have gained a surge in support for their criticisms of establishment politicians, Brussels and the continent’s response to the migrant crisis of 2015.

In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, former German MP Dr Peter Gauweiler suggested it’s because of Brexit that Sweden could soon say goodbye to the bloc.

He said: “The EU is battered.

“It could recover but the situation will only improve if they release competencies again.

“The big help for us eurosceptics has been the UK.

“Brexit is the best proof, as things are most likely to be going better than before for the [British].

“Some people are saying that Sweden will be the next one to leave.”

When asked why, he added: “Well, this is simply linked to regional experiences.

“Let me give you an example using ecology.

“You can destroy a good biotope with too much energy.

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“And too much of a good thing was done in the area of the allocation of power to the EU headquarters.

“And those who clearly see this and have to pay and don’t just look at this from the perspective of subsidy aspects, those are of course the first ones to feel the negative consequences.”

Sweden was Britain’s closest ally when it came to voting on European policies and staying out of the eurozone.

With the UK now creating a blueprint of how to leave the European Union, Swedish MEP Charlie Weimers echoed Dr Gauweiler’s claims.

Amid conflicts with the UK and the growing power axis between Germany and France, the MEP claimed it may well “pave the way” for a reaction against the EU in Sweden.

He added: “I think this will pave the way for a reaction and we have already seen it to a certain extent, that this change in public opinion on EU membership is now going in the opposite direction to most of the other member states.

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“Yeah, I mean, we’re not talking about an earthquake.

“But it’s the trajectory that is interesting here and it’s going against the trend.

“And I think it’s because more and more Swedes realise that the design of the EU is not in the interest of Swedish taxes.

“So when the chicken comes home to roost, that’s when the real reaction will come.

“Maybe we’re talking about a few years ahead but it will come eventually.”

Throughout the UK’s membership of the EU, states such as Sweden relied on the UK for its support in the European Parliament.

As Mr Weimers added Sweden has not only lost a crucial ally in the bloc, but trade with the UK will also be impacted between the two states.

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