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Libralerna Answers

Liberalerna (L) or the Liberals in English, answer the 9 Political Questions asked to all major parties represented in Stora Torget, Uppsala.
Answering our questions is Liberalerna candidate for Uppsala municipality and region Anders A. Aronsson.

1.     What are the core values your party represents?
Liberalerna is the Swedish liberal party, as the name clearly shows. Our representatives have through the history put forward and worked actively for, as example, equality between men and women. It was a liberal prime minister in Sweden when the parliament decided that both men AND women should have the right to vote in the general elections.
Freedom to choose, market economy within frames decided by the parliament, equality, no discrimination of any kind….
Individual responsibility for the common good.

 

2.     Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?
The Liberals in Sweden is in the middle of that spectrum.

3.     Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?
The Swedish Liberal Members of the European Parliament are members in the ALDE group, where you also find the FDP from Germany, The Party for freedom and progress in Belgium and other like that.

4.     Why should people vote for your party?
You must live your life the way you want, make your own decisions, dream your own dreams and be able to work to make them come true. That’s freedom and that’s what liberalism is all about. However, freedom isn’t the same thing as everyone doing exactly what they want. If freedom is for everyone – not just the biggest and the strongest – we need common rules. That’s why we have such things as freedom of speech, compulsory education and the police and that’s why we work together to pay for our welfare. Typical liberal ideas!
When education doesn’t work and pupils don’t learn what they need to know – they have less freedom to live the way they want. And when integration is unsuccessful and the gaps become wider – people are prevented from supporting themselves. For that reason, education and integration are the most important issues for the Liberals in the 2018 election. We put education first because it provides choice and freedom. The classroom must be a place for knowledge, calm and peace and quiet so people can work. We want a Sweden that sticks together, in which new Swedes can support themselves and contribute. Language, work and equality are the way into society.

5.     What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?
Our top priority is reforms in order to get the Swedish schools to function better. Top priority is also to get the integration process for newcomers in Sweden to work better. We also emphasize that the cooperation within the European Union must be better and deeper.

6.     Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?
The Liberal Party in Uppsala has a comprehensive program with priorities and programs covering the responsibilities that our City Assembly has to deal with. The main priorities are: the school sector (as on national level), integration, planning of the city for sustainability, fulfilment of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and development of the cultural activities.

7.     If elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?
Of course use the long experience of political work and of responsibility in order to get our program from words into reality!

For Uppland, or more correct The Uppsala Region, we have a separate program dealing withthe main responsibilities, namely the health care and preventive measures. Top priority is better organisation and working conditions for the medical staff, like nurses, assistant nurses, doctors… An important proposal is to get more staff that can unburden the nurses etc administration and work where medical training is not needed.

8.     Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?

https://www.liberalerna.se/wp-content/uploads/liberalerna_en.pdf

9.  Any other closing comments or remarks?

Liberalerna stand in Stora Torget, Uppsala

Most important is to vote, to use your democratic rights, and to vote for one of the political parties that stands for individual rights and responsibilities, solidarity with all humans regardless of origin/race/age/sexual preference/religion, social care for the elderly and for people with special needs, for good conditions for small and big enterprises which means job and income for more and more people, for further cooperation within the European Union and with other countries. The Liberal party stands up for that and against both communist and conservative forces.

 

To read more about the Swedish 2018 Vote go to the homepage of the section.

Photos: Dante Löfstrand ©

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Miljöpartiet Answers

Charles Pylad (left). 

Miljöpartiet (MP) or The Green Party in English, answer the 9 Political Questions asked to all major parties represented in Stora Torget, Uppsala.

Answering our questions is MP candidate for Uppsala Charles Pylad.
1. What are the core values your party represents?

In our party platform, we describe our ideology as being based on “a solidarity that can be expressed in three ways: solidarity with animals, nature, and the ecological system”, “solidarity with coming generations”, and “solidarity with all of the world’s people”. The platform then describes these solidarities being expressed in “several fundamental ideas”, these being participatory democracy, ecological wisdom, social justice, children’s rights, circular economy, global justice, nonviolence, equality and feminism, animal rights, self-reliance and self-administration, freedom, and long-sightedness.

 

2. Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?

Most of the greens would say in the middle or a little bit to the left from the middle.  In 2009, Maria Wetterstrand, then party co-spokesperson, defined the party as a natural home also for green-minded social liberals and libertarian socialists, by referring to its liberal policy regarding immigration and its support of personal integrity, participation and entrepreneurship, among other issues. Myself, I have always seen myself as a social liberal.

 

3. Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?

Probably EUL/NGL (Left), PES (Social democrats) and Alde (liberals)

 

4. Why should people vote for your party?

We want to build a sustainable society, that takes on climate change. Sweden should take the lead and be the most modern green country in the world. The Green party also have a positive message in our election campaigns combating segregation, the importance of giving everybody an equal chance in society, and that more money needs to go to education so that schools can be just as good in poorer areas. Many other parties tend to be more aggressive and have negative campaigning against different groups in society.

 

5. What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?

  • Invest in high-speed trains, expand and improve the railways throughout the country.
  • Promote climate-smart and organic food.
  • Schools and elderly care homes shall serve more organic and locally produced food. We want to tax imported meat where unnecessary antibiotics have been used in raising animals.
  • Stop the spread of plastics and poisons in oceans and waterways.
  • Give everybody more power over their time and their working lives.
  • We want to reduce working hours, and invest in gender-equal salaries and pensions.
  • Give timely support to youths who are unwell.
  • We want to reinforce pupil health services and gradually realise queue-free child and youth psychiatry services.
  • Make Sweden stand for peace, gender equality and a humane refugee policy. Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships and we are against Sweden joining NATO.
  • We want to protect the right to asylum, and give people fleeing the right to be reunited with their families. This is about being humanitarian.

6. Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?

The Green party want to invest in public transports, like trams. In the 1950s-1960s trams were removed in several cities in Sweden with more people buying cars.

The city of Uppsala had a tram network back in 1953. Now it’s time to reintroduce the transportation method into Uppsala which is a fast growing city. 

Better public transport between Uppsala and Stockholm. Nowhere else in Sweden are there as many commuters as between these two cities. Now only two railway tracks between the cities. The Green party have succeeded with a long time goal and now it’s finally decided by the government to build two more tracks. Very important.

Give support to youths who are unwell. The rising of youths having mental health issues are growing rapidly in Sweden, more than in other counries, even by comparing with the Nordic countries. No one knows for sure why but some experts believe the big focus on individuals and not the society can be part of the problem.

Defend the title of being Sweden’s best bicycle friendly city and compete of being one of the world’s best biclycle friendly cities.

Make Uppsala leading in energy switching. With green energy Uppsala shall contribute to reducing climate impact and leading the way in energy switching.

Employ more adults in schools so that pupils have more time with their teachers. The working environment needs to be improved and salaries increased.

7. If  elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?

Invest in public transports, especially trams. It’s time to reintroduce the transportation method into Uppsala which is a fast growing city. 

Give support to youths who are unwell. The rising of youths having mental health issues are growing rapidly in Sweden

Make Uppsala leading in energy switching. With green energy Uppsala shall contribute to reducing climate impact and leading the way in energy switching.

Employ more adults in schools so that pupils have more time with their teachers. The working environment needs to be improved and salaries increased.

Increase agricultural self-sufficiency and also promote more of organic farming.

Democracy – An effective, open organization in municipality / county council with great opportunities for the individual to have influence, for example, citizen proposals, consultation, opinions in urban planning issues, etc.

Business – Good business environment as well as a good and effective service.

Urban planning – tougher energy and environmental requirements for construction, accessibility and promoting varied architecture.


8. Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?

https://www.mp.se/languages

9.  Any other closing comments or remarks?

 

 

To read more about the Swedish 2018 Vote go to the homepage of the section.

 

Photos: Dante Löfstrand ©

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Nya Moderaterna Answers

Nya Moderaterna (M) or the new Moderates in English, answer the 9 Political Questions asked to all major parties represented in Stora Torget, Uppsala.
Answering our questions is Moderaterna candidate for Uppsala Fredrik Hultman.

1. What are the core values your party represents?

 

The Moderate Party defines its ideology as liberal-conservative. According to the party platform, our core values are Liberty, Safety, Openness and Justice.

 

We believe in the potential of every human being to improve their own lives and the lives of others through entrepreneurship and innovation. Therefore, we want government to be limited, but the state to be strong when it is needed.

2. Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?

The party is usually described as being centre-right.

 

3.Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?

The Moderate Party is a member of the European People’s Party (EPP) party group, and has traditionally been rather similar to the British Conservative Party (although, they left the EPP some years ago). The Moderate Party is by far more EU positive than the British Conservatives, but we still share some core ideological tenets with them.

We also have a lot of things in common with the Finnish Kokoomus, the German CDU and the Irish Fine Gael.

 

4. Why should people vote for your party?

We are a party for the hopeful, the ambitious and the hard working. We believe in the potential of every human being to achieve great things, and want politics to reflect that. Politicians should keep out of people lives, and encourage private initiatives and entrepreneurship. But we also need a strong state, that could provide a strong safety net for those who need support, such as the sick and the elderly.

If more people work and contribute to society, we have more tax money to spend on promoting the general welfare of all people, by investing in education, health care and care for the elderly. We are not the party that makes the most extravagant promises, but we never promise more than we can deliver. We always prioritises core welfare services, such as health care, care for the elderly and education. Those services are provided at municipal and a county level.

 

5. What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?

Our main priorities in this election are reforming the benefits system, cutting taxes for low-income workers and pensioners, investing heavily in cutting waiting times in the health care system, implementing effective environmental policies and ensuring that Sweden is safe by investing in the police force to ensure the rule of law.

For the past four years we have seen a rapid rise in violent crime and sex offences. The government has been unable to address this. The number of police has dwindled due to internal issues at the police authority and poor working conditions, while too few are accepted to the Police Academy to meet the need of the Swedish police force. This has also lead to many serious criminal offences not being investigated within a reasonable time. The Moderates want to raise police salaries significantly.

 

Since the refugee crisis in 2015 it has been made abundantly clear that Sweden cannot have migration policies that greatly diverges from neighbouring countries. Therefore, we want to keep some of the fundamental parts of the temporary legislation that was enacted in 2016, and which expires in 2019. For example, we want temporary residency permits to be the general rule and demand that immigrants who bring over family member show that they will be able to support them financially. We also want improve integration policies by demanding that immigrants learn basic Swedish as a condition to earn permanent residency and citizenship.

 

Today, taxes are high while it is still possible to earn more from government handouts than by working. We want to introduce a benefit cap, to incentivise work. For the same reasons, we also want to cut taxes for low income earners. As a matter of fairness, we also want to cut taxes for pensioners, so that people who have worked their whole lives can support themselves.

 

During the past four years waiting times have risen steadily in health care. We want to invest directly in decreasing waiting times. We also want to introduce more teaching hours in primary schools, to improve results and offer more support to students who lag behind.

 

We are the only party that has presented a plan to increase defence funding so that it will be 2 % of GDP, in line with the NATO requirement, and we also want Sweden to join Nato.

 

6. Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?

 

We are the party that prioritises safety, low taxes and core welfare services. We want local government to run more efficiently and cut municipal taxes so that working families and pensioners get to keep more of the money they’ve earnt. By committing to focussing on core welfare services, we can also afford to cut taxes. The Moderate Party is the best option for those who want sound economic policies.

 

Today, the tax rate in Uppsala municipality is higher than in comparable municipalities, but the welfare services are not by any comparison better in Uppsala than in other municipalities. Out of 290 municipalities, Uppsala schools now rank in 146th place. When the Moderate Party gained power in 2006, schools ranked in 214th place. In 2014 when we lost power, Uppsala ranked in 54th place. We have improved school results before, and with our policies we will be able to do so again.

 

7. If elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?

 

In Uppsala we want to implement our seven-point programme for schools, by introducing qualified teacher assistants to minimise teachers’ workload, and allow them to focus more on teaching. We also want to introduce centralised corrections of test, and implement a model for developing better teaching through teacher conferences lead by qualified researchers, or teachers with an equivalent level of academic education.

We want to focus on making Uppsala safer, by introducing more camera surveillance in public places and having more security guards in public areas. It is unacceptable that many citizens are afraid to go out because of the rise in violent crime.

We want benefits for the unemployed to be tied to demands for work applications. There must always be incentives to find work. In Uppsala, everyone who is able to work, should be expected to.

We promise to immediately add funding to schools that need extra funding for children with special needs. We believe that the cuts to that funding has been irresponsible and needs to be addressed as soon as possible. We also want to improve the traffic situation, by creating more parking spaces and get rid of the bottle necks that create traffic jams.

At a regional level, we want to address the staffing needs at the Akademiska Hospital. Nurses have been resigning at a discouraging rate, to the extent that certain wards cannot remain open. We want to introduce a career system, which rewards loyalty and experience, and also conduct necessary re-organisations to improve working hours for hospital employees.

We also want to make investments collective traffic, and are open to creating a tram system, provided that it is the most feasible and economically sound alternative.

 

8. Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?

This is a brief guide to some of our main policies in this election: https://moderaterna.se/sites/default/files/page_attachments/2018-06/folder_A5_vårkampanj_2018_uppslag_ENG.pdf

 

9. Any other closing comments or remarks?

It is important to note that the Moderate Party is cooperating closely with the Alliance (Alliansen), which also consists of “Centerpartiet”, Kristdemokraterna and Liberalerna.

Therefore, we have agreed on certain sets of policies that we would like to implement together with those parties if we are able to rule as a coalition on national, regional and/or municipal level. A vote for the Moderate Party is therefore also a vote for the Alliance. We have no intention of collaborating with other political parties, especially not the Sweden Democrats. However, we have reached agreements with the Social Democrats and the Green Party on important issues in the past, such as the Energy agreement two years ago that was agreed in parliament, and we are open to more of those agreements in the future.

We governed as the Alliance on a national level, in Uppsala municipality and in the Uppsala region between 2006 and 2014. Since 2014 we have been in opposition, and are now looking forward to get back into power.

 

To read more about the Swedish 2018 Vote go to the homepage of the section.

Photos: Dante Löfstrand ©

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Centerpartiet Answers

Centerpartiet (CP) or Centre Party in English, answer the 9 Political Questions asked to allmajor parties represented in Stora Torget, Uppsala.
Answering our questions is CP candidate for Uppsala John Hultengård.

1. What are the core values your party represents?

Centerpartiet’s core values are equality, tolerance, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, openness, embracing multiculturalism and respecting and guarding freedoms of individuals of the society.

 

2. Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?

We would place ourselves in the centre – hence, our name. Historically, we’ve been leaning somewhat to the left, but during the last 20 years, we’ve moved slightly to leaning more to the right.

 

3. Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?

In the EP, we are part of the ALDE group, hence parties

such as D66, VVD, FDP etc are close to us. We also have ties to LREM and Ciudadanos (Spain).

 

4. Why should people vote for your party?

The election this fall mainly revolves around values. Some parties would prefer to have Sweden shut off from the rest of the world and spread hatred and racism,

whereas we argue that Sweden needs to be an open-minded country, embracing globalisation as well as seeing our differences as something positive, not negative (ergo, respecting LGBT rights, minorities, helping asylum seekers etc).

 

5. What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?

1. To prevent the cleavage that is taking place in Sweden as we speak – between urban and countryside areas, between those who have a job and those who do not (through major reforms of the labor market) as well as fixing the issues with the queues to the public healthcare through major reforms, bringing it closer to citizens.

 

6. Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?

Because we ensure that Uppsala remains a safe city, with more local guards patroling the city and more cameras put up, as well as not wanting to build a tram railway (which would put the municipality in huge debt), but also to expand the construction of housing on the countryside, since one of our fundamental policies of the party is that you should be able to live wherever you want in the entire country.

 

7. If elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?

See above. We also want to expand public transport in the entire region so that one can live wherever one prefers in the region, as well as reducing carbon dioxide emissions by creating incentives not to drive cars and instead taking the bus.

 

8. Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?

You can find information in several languages on our website: https://www.centerpartiet.se/val-2018/other-languages

9. Any other closing comments or remarks?

We really do appreciate that you are taking your time to understand Swedish politics. I myself have been an international student and always loved to discuss politics with international students. If you are ever interested in joining or discussing politics, don’t hesitate to contact us!

 

To read more about the Swedish 2018 Vote go to the homepage of the section.

Photos: Dante Löfstrand ©

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Social Demokraterna Answers

Social Demokraterna (SAP) or Social Democrats in English, answer the 9 Political Questions asked to all major parties represented in Stora Torget, Uppsala.
Answering our questions is SAP candidate for Uppsala municipality Hilde Klasson.
1. What are the core values your party represents?

For us Social Democrats there are some things that are more important than others; We are strongly against benefit in welfare service . Equality between men and women is another issue that is significant for us. The pension for the people who has the lowest incomes is a third question that we aim for. The climatechange  is a topic and the education for children and students as well.

2. Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?

The Social Democrats in Sweden are to be placed in the middle or a little bit to the left in the political spectrum.

3. Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?

The socialdemocratic parties in Europe.

 

4.  Why should people vote for your party?

Because we don’t want the taxes go to profits for the shareholders who own the wellfare companies. Because we care for a politic that will try to make Sweden  CO2neutral in a couple of decades. Because we work for equality between men and women. And we have a feminist foreign policy. Because we want retired people have good conditions and we will have a healthcare that doesn’t care if you are rich or pore. We are now building a huges amount of apartments, that we are in lack of. And we will give more resorses to the police.

5.   What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?

We would like to see a healthcare, school and care that reach everybody. We want to have good alternativs for everyone for the car( get ride of  the fossil fuels) we want more solar energy .We want the banking system to pay some of their profits to the state in order to get more welfare.

6. Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?

We have a good program for to create more jobs. We will see to that the wages are justice between men and women. We will work hard for to get areas that are called “nogozones” to be safe, and nice to live in. We will build apartments for young people to rent.

7. If elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?

If I am elected I will continue to work for a sustainable urban development. And if possible I would work for to get more support to sexually abused women and se to that their rights are taken care of

8. Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?

Here you can find Social Democrats campaign in English and several other languages https://www.socialdemokraterna.se/other-languages/

9. Any other closing comments or remarks?

I think this election is very scary because the Xenophobic forces are growing stronger and stronger and many people doesn’t reflect over what the limits for the politicians are and which  parties who are responsible for different issues. The real main issue for us is like a kinder egg; fight for democracy and social sustainable society!

 

 

To read more about the Swedish 2018 Vote go to the homepage of the section.

Photos: Dante Löfstrand ©

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9 Questions to Swedish Poltical Parties

The debates are ongoing in Sweden and to get a better understanding of the situation I asked the same standard questions to all major Swedish political parties by approaching their wooden huts in Uppsala’s Stora Torget. This is one of the many sites across the country in which representatives of the different poltical parties hand out flyers, talk to citizens and answer questions.

 

I asked some questions in English for the benefit of those who are not fluent enough in Swedish to engage in the political debate that surrounds them and for those who are interested in the topic from overseas.

 

Here are the list of Questions asked:

  1.  What are the core values your party represents?
  2. Where would you place your party in the Left-Right political spectrum?
  3.  Which are the parties you feel closest to in the European Parliament?
  4. Why should people vote for your party?
  5. What are the general priorities your party aims at achieving throughout Sweden?
  6. Why should people vote for your party on a Local level?
  7. If elected, what will you do for Uppsala? And for Uppland?
  8. Do you have any links to further material on your party in English?
  9. Any other closing comments or remarks?

 

 

Find the answers given by the Uppsala-based political representatives of the different parties.

These are the ones which have answered so far:

 

These are the ones which we are still waiting on answers from:

  • Sveriges Demokraterna
  • Vänsterpartiet
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Ghost Villages in Sardinia (2/5): Transport Connections

This part of the series on ideas to counter the increasing ‘Ghost Village’ phenomenon in many rural areas in central Sardinia, is dedicated to transport connections. As you might have figured out from many other posts on this website such as #BusNotturniCagliari campaign, I am a massive believer in public transport. For me this is the most fundamental part in countering this phenomenon and also making the roads safer and less clogged up with traffic and hence this is the longest post in this series. 
When talking about small communities the importance of good transport connections is vital. This can be the ‘make it or break it’ factor when choosing whether to stay or leave the village you grew up in. Whilst in the past the communities rarely needed to move much,now times have changed and so there is the need and wish to be in contact with the rest of the world. 
Whether to go to school, work, see a doctor or to hang out in the cool bar in the neighbouring village, it is important to provide safe roads and reliable, frequent and affordable public transport connections. 
Sardinia has two railway systems: Trenitalia and Ferrovie della Sardegna. Trenitalia is owned by the Italian state whilst Ferrovie della Sardegna is owned by the Sardinian regional authority which also is the owner of ARST, the biggest bus company on the island. The problem is that amongst the many illogical things on the island, there is no cooperation whatsoever between the two transport systems which are still ultimately subsidised by the Sardinian tax payer.
What is my idea?
The network
Well, first of all Trenitalia should run frequent express services between the big cities with very few intermediate stops. Simutaneously there should also be local ‘slow trains’ that run between the two larger stations where the express train stops,connecting those two centres to all the minor communities by stopping at every station.
Ferrovie della Sardegna should also do a similar operation and this must come with a modernisation of its fleet which is still mostly based on the ‘Litorina’ model, originally introduced under Mussolini’s regime with the most recent up-dates in 1970s/80s to most parts of the network. These modern trains with air conditioning, step free access, wifi could also potentially reach higher speeds than the current average of 50 Km/h. Most of these routes are only used in Summer for tourism purposes as the single track route offers beautiful views over the undiscovered inland heart of Sardinia. The modernisation of the fleet would also require a certain amount of maintenance to the tracks and stations adding, for example, information screens with train timetables and ticket machines (possibly available in several languages). Same as Trenitalia, there should be local trains and longer distance ones.
As most of the island ,however,is not connected by the railway network there needs to be a good bus service to integrate with the railway connections ensuring the bus arrives at the station a few minutes before the arrival of the train,and also leaving a few minutes after it departs in order to take the railway passengers onto their final destination with minimal delay. The bus fleet is modern yet really uncomfortable, has no wifi, no card readers to sell tickets onboard and very few cater for handicapped people. As if this wasn’t bad enough the buses are also large which makes it really hard for them to be driven up narrow and winding mountain or coastal roads which characterise more than 80% of the country roads in Sardinia.
To sell the entire fleet and invest in a new one is a must in my view. The waste of public money for these very good looking and modern luxury* buses seen from the outside is sickening (* ‘luxury’ by definition as they all have an espresso machine incorporated on board which has never have been used but is there just to tick the box in order to comply with the definition, this is how low Sardinian politics can get). The new buses beyond being modern (card reader, air conditioning, comfortable seating and Wifi) together with a step free access should be of two types: long and short distance. The long distance ones, which should be used only in areas that are not covered by the railway network, should have a greater capacity maybe even double deckers to maximise the number of people that can be transported by one driver, hence controlling the price of the individual ticket. These buses should run an express service, similar to the one previously mentioned for trains. The local buses should be smaller or even perhaps mini-vans which can move with fewer difficulties, more engine power and faster along the winding roads compared to the current large buses (which in most cases travel half empty). These buses would pick up passengers even from non designated bus stops like a sort of taxi service along the route and do the same for dropping people off. The local drivers, with good road knowledge of the area covered, could even offer to make small detours to accompany people to their door which could be really good for people with reduced mobility and the elderly. This sort of bus system is very popular in Eastern Europe. 
Finally it is important that the bus system must be perfectly integrated with both railway systems. This means an efficient website in several languages where tickets can be purchased online from A to B which would include local buses, trains, coaches and if necessary ferries to the smaller islands. These combined tickets should also be available for purchase via an App and in newsagents, tobacconists and supermarkets across the island. The option to buy tickets on board with a surcharge should also always be guaranteed. 
Offering free travel to all the residents of these communities over the age of 65, handicapped people, children under 16 and reduced fares for students would encourage a more proficient use of these transport networks. 
Throughout this post I have stressed the availability of free wifi but offering this service (when technically possible) would allow businessmen and students to work whilst commuting and other passengers to enjoy entertainment whilst being driven from their rural community to the bigger centres.
This may be a utopian dream but as Walt Disney said ‘all of our dreams can come true – if you have the courage to pursue them’.

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The Problem of the ‘Ghost Villages’ in Sardinia

In September there will be a one week course held in a rural community in the centre of Sardinia in which there will be lectures and discussions on the ever increasing problematic of ‘desertification’ of inland remote villages. As part of the application process the organisers asked me to write about what pushed me to sign up for the course and my answer was: will to learn and contribute to the discussion to find good ideas which could be, one day, put into practice.

The problem lies in the fact that communities are getting torn apart from the high levels of unemployment, lack of opportunities and future for the fact that many young people are leaving the villages to move to bigger cities in the island or go to the mainland or in other parts of Europe or the world. If one looks at the number of people who identify themselves as Sardinian I would guess almost half of them are not living in Sardinia. There has been a massive diaspora not due to war or persecution but due to another deadly factor: hunger. This does not merely mean hunger as in food deprivation as our land is fertile and we can be self-sufficient in terms of food production it is mainly hunger for opportunities, not living on the bread line and also getting in contact with the world which is portrayed via the internet and television. This phenomena is not necessarily a bad thing but there is the need, for the sake of preserving part of our identity, to strengthen these rural communities. Question is, how?

I think what is needed is a 5 step plan:

  1. Education
  2. Transport network improvements
  3. Technological improvements
  4. Incentives for start ups and businesses to open or relocate to one of the communities
  5. Better localised social and medical services for the population, especially the elderly.

Details of this plan will be further explained in the linked numbers or articles. Click on one of the five titles to read more about the specific idea to fight desertification of rural communities. If you like share the idea or drop a comment, having a debate and exchanging ideas in the hope that some concrete action takes place in order to reduce or maybe even reverse this phenomena.