Date: Wed, 11 May 1994 10:26:07 MET From: "Tobias Wikstr|m" 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." The periodic publications of RFSL Kom Ut (in Swedish): 6 issues a year. Subscription 150 SEK a year. Fakta fr†n RFSL (in Swedish): Approximately ten fact sheets that are updated regularly. Subscription 200 SEK per ten mailings. News from Swedish gay/lesbian politics (in Swedish and English): 52 issues a year. Subscription 180 SEK a year or 30 international reply coupons. Hivbladet (in Swedish): 12 issues a year. Free of charge. Membership in the RFSL: 160-250 SEK a year, depending on which local branch is chosen. Includes subscription of Kom Ut. -- Tobias Wikstr”m RFSL, Box 350, S-101 26 Stockholm, Sweden Telephone +46-8-7360213 Telefax +46-8-304730