Name? Ann Linde
Westphalian identity? Swedish
Age? 58
Why is she in the news? As Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linde has had a difficult week as some of Sweden’s closest allies (Norway, Denmark and Finland) have turned their backs on the country in not allowing Swedes to cross their borders this summer.
Why do we care? Honestly, we feel a bit bad for Linde and the whole of Sweden as they gain the status as Scandinavia’s new pariah state. That said, we are quite enjoying the passive-aggressive responses on both sides. For example, some Swedish officials feel that “they are being stigmatized by an international campaign to prove Sweden was wrong and warn their neighbours that they are going to be much more vulnerable if a second wave of the virus hits in the fall.”
Why should you care? Scandinavian countries typically represent a sense of mutual identity. Such strong and sudden breaks in relations in a region quite well known for its reasonable, quiet, friendly culture should be both a shock and a forewarning to how Corona is set to shift international relations in the coming months (if not years).
Who else cares? Anders Tegnell — the mastermind behind Sweden’s response to Covid-19. With a “trust-based” system, Sweden has managed to avoid shutting down an entire society and to keep hospitals in control of the situation, potentially reaching a higher level of immunity than others.
Any further comments? The Scandi’s are often considered some of the most progressive and peaceful nations in the world, largely because of their mutual friendship and identity with one another. In fact, the Nordic Passport Union was a model for the EU’s open border system. If the pandemic can sour the relations between Swedes and other Scandi’s to the point that there were “suddenly border guards” between their countries, we should be concerned of how Corona will impact far more fragile friendships (we’re looking at you Koreas).
