Why O?
Simple. All the traditional parties in the Riksdag benefit—they gain more power and more money—when voters have no way to protest in a way that makes a difference. When voters cannot vote for the option: “None of the above.” When the parties, as a whole, are not held accountable for failing to represent everyone.*
The responsibility is placed on the voter, not on those who are supposed to represent them.
* Of course, no single party should be obligated to represent everyone, but the representative democracy as a whole should, and that is what the system of party politics is all about. It is not the individual parties’ fault; it is their collective responsibility.
Read Problem - solution
Why are (traditional) engaged voters criticizing O?
Engaged voters believe in their parties, and they should—that’s what makes them engaged voters. But now O is showing that the system isn’t entirely fair. Engaged voters are now faced with a very specific question: do you believe in democracy, or do you believe in your party’s views? And those are two very different things. As long as the representative democracy isn’t 100%, none of the traditional parties are truly democratic—and that’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially for engaged voters who take their democratic rights seriously.
What’s O’s ideology?
To represent the unrepresented, regardless of whether those unrepresented are on the left, the right, the center, or neither.
O considers the lack of representation in terms of seats, funding, and votes to be undemocratic. Therefore, O’s sole ideology is to optimize representative democracy to 100% by adding the one option that is needed: “none of the above.”
This will not only make the Swedish democratic system 100% representative—just as it should have been from the start—it will also put pressure on the entire system.
This may not be achievable all at once and may require further pressure campaigns in the future, but that’s for the next election.
Why doesn’t O need a party leader?
O needs neither a party leader nor a hierarchy.
The mission is clear: vote “no” on every proposal in the Riksdag.
O was, however, initiated by Thierry Mortier, a Belgian-Swedish artist and semiotician. Thierry claims the role of initiator of O, but holds no higher rank or greater influence over the implementation of O, which is a collective action.
Once the idea has been formulated, anyone can carry it out.
I’m a first-time voter, and I don’t have a political preference (yet). Why should I vote for O?
O is the only party without a political affiliation—it stands neither on the left nor on the right. It stands solely for democracy. O is an opportunity to avoid choosing either of the polarized sides. You can put pressure on the current system and force the parties to give you better options in the next election.
I already have a party I usually vote for. Why should I consider switching to O?
Good. The current situation is 50/50 left-right, meaning it’s impossible to guess which way it will go.
A vote for a traditional party today COULD make a difference—it’s a possibility, a gamble.
O guarantees immediate effect.
A vote for O can be rephrased as a vote for any of the traditional parties, but with added pressure.*
* Remember: O works nationally; you can still vote for your favorite party regionally and locally.
Is O dependent on all the other parties to continue?
YES. O is a non-party.
O exists to make the system work better; to optimize it.
O has no party program other than to represent those who lack representation.
To make this absolutely crystal clear:
O does not represent the unrepresented with a party program;
O represents the fact that one is unrepresented.
O claims the seats that belong to the unrepresented, rather than letting them disappear in the calculation of the other parties’ seats.
This act of exercising democracy puts immediate pressure on the existing system and acts as an amplifier.
O does not take responsibility for today’s political deadlock and polarization.
O takes responsibility for putting pressure on the parties that have created the polarization to resolve it themselves—through compromise, through better substantive and less image-driven politics.
Hasn’t this been tried before?
Yes, of course.
Systematic abuse of power has always existed, and ordinary people have always had to find ways to oppose it time and time again.
O is exactly that: those in power use the system to take more power away from the people, and O is a way for the people to take that power back.
Aren’t the unrepresented people just lazy couch potatoes?
Maybe—no one really knows, not O, not you.
There are many theories. 1) Those who aren’t represented are satisfied with whatever the rest of the population decides, 2) those who aren’t represented don’t care, 3) those who aren’t represented don’t trust the system, 4) those who aren’t represented had booked a laundry slot, 5) those who aren’t represented want to vote but don’t consider the available options good enough, 6) 7) 8)…
Regardless of the reasons the unrepresented have, do you want to justify a flawed system? In Sweden of all places?
Moreover, the fact that the reason is unknown means it could be any one of them, or all of them at once.
They don’t believe in the system, or they do believe in it but aren’t given the right options.
O believes that everyone should have an option, even if that option only says: “I do not have an option.” Then at least everyone will know.
I want to run a campaign for O. Is there an O logo, O colours, an O communication strategy?
O is an alternative to what voters are offered today, including the traditional parties’ brand identities and marketing strategies.
O is a democratic movement where voters reclaim the power that belongs to them. You don’t prepare to go out and demonstrate by asking what the dress code is. Your dress code IS the dress code. You have the power.
O has no logo: anyone can draw an O, draw a circle.
O has no political affiliation: O exists to optimize democracy.
O has no communication strategy: O fills the gap in Swedish representative democracy, i.e. allowing a protest vote with the same power and weight as a vote for an existing alternative.
The way you write or draw an O is your logo.
The colour you choose is your O colour.
The way you talk about O and why O is important is your communication strategy.
You have the power to reset the system.
The choice is yours.
On this site, the colours of all the other parties have been used, including the colour of a blank ballot for the Riksdag election.
How do I register as an O candidate?
The Swedish Election Authority explains it clearly. If you meet the Swedish requirements to be a candidate, you can register here (SV).
You have to register by September 11 at the latest!
Please let O know in advance that you plan to register as a candidate. Great job!
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