Increase in political scandals

Nordic flagsNordic flags.Photo: wikimedia.commons

The number of political scandals in Nordic media has tripled since the turn of the millennium. Individual sex scandals have increased the most, according to a new survey.

 

The survey was undertaken by media professor Sigurd Allern with three Nordic colleagues. The researchers registered 101 new scandals in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway In the period 2010 to 2016. In Norway, 23 new scandals were registered during this period, according to Klassekampen.
 
“Scandals concerning individuals often attract a lot of attention, thus creating headlines and leading to disgrace,” Allern says to the newspaper.
 
The category of scandals concerning “unacceptable, personal behavior” has increased the most since 2000. According to Allern, there are themes such as prostitution, sexual assault and drugs and alcohol abuse.
 
Between 1980 to 1989, there were 32 scandals in the Nordic region. There were also 32 between 1990 to 1999, though in the next 9 years this increased to 90. However, from 2010 to 2016, there were 101 scandals.
 
The survey shows that around half of the politicians who are the subject of the scandals are forced to resign or receive other formal reactions.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today