Date:      Wed, 11 May 1994 10:26:07 MET
From: "Tobias Wikstr|m" <tobias@rfsl.se>

News from Swedish gay/lesbian politics
Published by the Swedish Federation for Gay and Lesbian Rights
(RFSL)
No. 18/94 (May 2nd-8th, 1994)


1 Parliamentary decision on accommodation allowances
The Parliament has, with a majority of 149 votes and a
minority of 128, rejected the Social Democratic MP Margareta
Winberg's motion urging that gay men and lesbians should be
able to receive accommodation allowances (see News from
Swedish gay/lesbian politics 2/93, 5/93, 9/93, 14/93, 15/93,
17/93, 8/94 and 11/94). The reasons were stated by the
Standing Committee on Housing:
  "The Standing Committee on Housing maintains its position
that the issue on a widening of the categories that may
receive accommodation allowances should be subject by
considerations of the Government. In this year's budget bill
such considerations are advised. The results of this
elaboration work should be awaited. It should be presumed that
the Government on a suitable occasion will present its view in
the issue and will propose amendments of the Accommodation
Allowances Act. A renewed resolution from the Parliament
according to the motion cannot be considered necessary. A
rejection of the motion is proposed."
  149 MP's voted in favour of rejecting Margareta Winberg's
motion (all present MP's from the Coalition Parties and 4 MP's
from the New Democracy party). All present Social Democrats
and Leftists (128 votes) voted in favour of approving the
motion. 17 MP's from the New Democracy Party abstained.
  The reasons presented by those voting in favour of approving
the motion can be read in a dissenting opinion signed by Oskar
Lindkvist et.al., Social Democrats, and Lars Werner, Leftist:
  "It is startling that the Government has failed in meeting
or responding to the unanimous resolution from the Parliament
urging a bill on a widening of the categories that may apply
for accommodation allowances." They do not think that it is
"acceptable that the issue is further delayed and therefore
propose that the Parliament now repeats its resolution from
the spring of 1993. The Government should submit a proposal to
the Parliament in enough time in order for the desired
amendment of the Accommodation Allowances Act to be be applied
from January 1st, 1995."

2 "A parody on parlamentarism"
Olof Djurfeldt wrote in his editorial in the christian daily
Dagen on April 30th:

"Is this what you wanted, you Liberals who at your congress
stood behind the proposal on partnership and you Social
Democrats who supported the same idea during your party
congress? Was it your intention, that reasonable civil
servants would propose a cohabitation form for homosexuals
that almost is a copy of the marriage? Or that your
representatives in the most respected (sic!) Standing
Committee, the Standing Committee on Civil-Law Legislation,
would ignore all normal parliamentary procedures in order to
force through the new law in a rapid space?
  What now takes place has never happened before. Formally,
the Standing committee on Civil-Law Legislation has the power
to take a legislation issue in its own hands. This means that
the office of the Standing Committee writes a new law without
using the expertise in the Ministry of Justice. But this
involves a risk - since this staff does not have that
experience. And so far this has not been done.
  In the case of a normal bill, individual MP's and groups of
MP's have the possibility to propose amendments by submitting
motions. But in this case there is no possibility to submit
motions. Everything depends on the final voting in the issue
on June 7th."
  "The fact that these surprise tactics have been chosen shows
a great disregard of all those who have serious doubts of this
development. It also affects the respect for the Standing
Committee on Civil-Law Legislation. Tho most respected of all
Standing Committees is choosing a model that can be guiding
for other Standing Committes, when they want to ignore fellow
MP's, expertise and the influence of the citizens. Both
Liberals and Social Democrats should in this stage look for a
way of avoiding this parliamentary scandal. The respect of the
electorate is at stake."

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-- 
Tobias Wikstr�m <tobias@rfsl.se>
RFSL, Box 350, S-101 26 Stockholm, Sweden
Telephone +46-8-7360213   Telefax +46-8-304730