mono

Today, at approximately 16.15 local time, Anna Lindh, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, was stabbed in a downtown Stockholm department store. She seems to have just made it, although the operation is still in progress.

At the time of posting, the Police is still looking for the perpetrator, and nothing is known of his motives or mental condition (they just know it’s a man).

As usual, the media, especially the television, was quick to unleash their beast of overanalysis: political commentators, political science scholars and professors, politicians, journalists, eye witnesses, the random man on the street, and practically everyone else with an opinion has been allowed to litter the ether with mostly meaningless talk.

The facts could have been boiled down to a few sentences: "Anna Lindh is still undergoing surgery and her condition is critical. Almost nothing is known of the perpetrator". The debate and speculation could have been comprimated to "let us wait and see until we know more".

I am the only one sensing some sort of (dare I say it?) delight on behalf of the media? They just can’t wait. Of course, it can be argued that they have been waiting since February 1986, when Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot to death in central Stockholm.

The fact that Anna Lindh was not accompanied by a bodyguard has raised quite a few eyebrows, including those of Prime Minister Göran Persson. The event is seen in the light of the current campaign for the EMU (European Monetary Union) referendum, which is in its final stage; the voting will take place on Sunday 14.

I am not going to comment on any of that now. Perhaps later, when more is known. Right now I am just too depressed. Anna Lindh was one of the most competent, respected and admired Swedish politicians. An attack on her is not just a terrible deed in itself, but also, as the Prime Minister said on the press conference, an attack on a democratic and open society.

I hope Anna recovers soon.