#44: SWEDEN WANTS STRICT PENALTIES FOR HARASSING JOURNALISTS

Young Polish voters prefer right-wing parties + 20% spike in crimes by climate activists + climate minister wants 30% of sea territory filled with wind turbines + MORE!

SWEDEN WANTS STRICT PENALTIES FOR CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS

Journalists and public servants could soon become a protected category in Sweden.

The Swedish government has proposed that crimes committed against the media or those who serve a “socially useful” function should receive stricter penalties.

In an official statement on the government’s website, they state that any crime against a journalist is “an attack not only on the victim of the crime, but by extension also on democracy and society as such.”

The new provisions would hike possible jail sentences or fines for any crime "against a person because he or she or someone close to them professionally engaged in news broadcasting or other journalism".

Additionally, violence and threats against public servants performing a “certain socially useful function” would also see penalties increase. The category would include medical personnel, social service workers or educators.

Sweden is expecting the new laws to come into effect on August 1, 2023.

YOUNG POLISH VOTERS PREFER RIGHT-WING PARTIES

Young voters in Poland are bucking trends seen in other European countries by favouring right-wing parties over left-wing ones.

According to a survey by the Indicator Center in association with the Adenauer Foundation, more voters between the ages of 18 and 30 would vote for the governing conservative populist Law and Justice Party.

The poll found that 27% of voters in the age category would vote for Law and Justice while only 24.7% would vote for the liberal Civic Coalition. Meanwhile, 19.2% would cast their ballot for the right-wing Confederation Liberty and Independence.

Since 2019, the number of young people who express a preference for right-wing governments has increased despite attempts by NGOs and pro-EU groups to liberalize Poland.

Young Poles continue to be an anomaly in the European Union, where across the board, younger voters tend to lean left.

“The attitude of Poles differs significantly from other nations surveyed,” wrote the study’s authors.

20% SPIKE IN CRIMES BY CLIMATE RADICALS

Crime statistics from the German state of Baden-Württemberg show that crimes committed by environmental activists have increased by 20% last year.

In 2022, authorities reported 127 “politically motivated” criminal offences related to the climate movement.

Radical activists were charged with coercion, property damage, threats and violating the right of assembly. Meanwhile, a large portion of the crimes were traffic incidents.

Among the groups implicated were Extinction Rebellion, Last Generation and Fridays for Future.

In comparison, 2021 saw 106 crimes committed by climate activists.

CLIMATE MINISTER WANTS WIND TURBINES ON 30% OF DENMARK’S SEA TERRITORY

Denmark’s Climate and Energy Minister Lars Aagaard has proposed that wind turbines be built on 30% of Denmark’s sea territory in order to fight climate change.

Aagaard, who had worked in the reneweable energy industry prior to his political career wants to see the country achieve a 70% emission reduction by the end of the decade.

One of the ways he hopes to achieve this is by drastically shifting towards wind power.

The 30% proposal follows a similar target of 15%.

Such an undertaking would cost the country nearly $30 billion in US dollars to achieve.

69% OF FRENCH VOTERS REGRET RE-ELECTING EMMANUEL MACRON

An April 24 poll by the Elabe Institute found that 69% of French voters view the re-election of Emmanuel Macron as being a bad thing for France.

Negative attitudes toward the French President have seen a dramatic increase of 14% since last year’s poll.

Only 30% of people polled considered his re-election a positive development for France.

When polled on how they feel about Macron, 66% said they were disappointed with the President, while 44% expressed disagreement with his policies and 39% said they were angry.

On the other hand only 13% said they respect Macron' and 10% said they support him.

Macron has faced a wave of unrest due to his decision to raise the retirement age and reform pensions.