Maybe one of the most stupid PR coups I have heard in the last years. Kristina Axén Olin, Stockholms Mayor, decided to declare Stockholm the Capital of Scandinavia. I need to ask some questions to try to understand:
– What are the chosen criteria? Business environment, quality of life, beauty, etc.?
– Why should Kristina Axén Olin do that?
– What is the truth?
To the first question, and just by reading the headlines of SVD, i think that the criteria are completely taken out of the blue. I quote: “Cleany streets and elimination of graffitis will make Stockholm shine the most” (“Städade gator och klottersanering ska få Stockholm att glänsa mest”). Is that really what people want? Does a city shine because there are no graffitis? Doesn’t Berlin or New York shine?
To the second one: Why should Kristina Axén Olin do that? It is obvious that Stockholm is progressively losing the race against Copenhagen. I should say the races: cultural and economical. Business is doing best (or even better) in Copenhagen. Culture in Stockholm is one of the most narrow minded and limited of all capitals in Europe.
To the third one: What is the truth? You can decide yourself, people make a city what it is. No one asked Kristina Axén Olin to do it for the region, especially not without consultation from the other countries. It seems like she wants to take advantage of beeing the first to claim this role. And puts Copenhagen and Olso in a bad situation.
Copenhagen can relax and ignore the debate, and let the people decide. I live in Stockholm, and i can tell that Copenhagen has everything to be named Capital of Scandinavia. A capital has a role of gathering all cultures and beeing an attraction point, not only for business. I would compare it to Berlin in Germany. Berlin is just the best Capital you can imagine: tolerant, open minded, adapting and progressive. Stockholm has not a lot of that.
It’s my opinion – i hope Kristina Axén Olin gives me the right to share it.
BTW, here is the result of the poll on SVD ;-)
Berlin Kollektiv 
18. June 2007 at 10:46
1: Yes, the habitants of Stockholm want clean streets. Thats one of the reasons the new mayor was elected (along with her party).
2: Why should she not? Business is effectivly surpressed in Denmark with a very hostile climate for new businesses. EU for one has been very crticial of that as well as the danish chamber of commerse. Culturally Stockholm does not have the quantity as Denmark, fine, but narrow minded? No way. For example there is a official graffitti tour. That is progressive, to say the least.
3:So she should have asked the other countries first? Right. So Apple should ask Microsift before putting forward a product that they claim is the markets top-notch product? Please…
This is my opinion, and Christinas. I had hoped you would accept her the right tio share it, as well as I assume you will give me the right to share mine…
18. June 2007 at 12:01
Hej Mattias,
thanks for your reaction. Everybody wants clean streets, i just disagree to use this as a key argument. It doesn’t make a city to a capital. Regarding the business climate: i do business with Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and – as a foreigner – i can only compare the dynamic in these different countries. My experience is that doig business in Copenhagen is more effective than in Stockholm, and by far easier than in Oslo! Regarding my expression “narrow minded” culture: i really regret that the culture does hardly reach the street. It is inside walls, and you need to pay for it. Other cities promote various aspects of cultural events or happening on the streets or open places. Everybody gets access to it. In Berlin for example, the culture is everywhere. With all my respect for the quality of some swedish museums. I like your comparison with Apple and MS, but i am afraid it’s not the same thing we are talking about. “Capital of Scandinavia” is not an iPhone, there is no product launch and no product life cycle, nor years of product development and investments. “Capital of Scandinavia” is emotional, not rational. It’s like saying i am the best and ask the opponents to prove the opposite. It’s not fair since is based on intangibles.
I really accept your opinion, but we can’t let Kristina decide this for about 20 million inhabitants in Scandinavia!
18. June 2007 at 12:16
It is a myth that Copenhagen is larger or winning ground towards Stockholm. On the contrary, Stockholm is both economically and population wise growing much faster than Copenhagen. Stockholm is one of the fastest growing regions in Europe with a population growth of 30.000 per year, which is about 1,5 % growth. In Copenhagen the same number is about 7.000 per year. All in all, Stockholm is step by step taking a larger part of the population and the economy in the Nordic region.
14. May 2008 at 14:41
What a nice debate? There is no importance, that is just an advert to sell the city for tourist and make them coming. That’s image war. Don’t you think thazt there is more important things to debate in Stockholm like how the right is trying step by step to destroy the green wedges or some green areas to put some building saying there is no place, and in the same time they give 30 years more to exploit Bromma airport. Or don’t you think that the problem of Neo-nazis groups is more to discuss. You create a debate all the night about that, but I that that a lot of city in the world practise this scheme to have a shwocase on the rest of the world. Some things are more important
11. September 2010 at 13:30
That’s fun, ‘cos there is no country called “Scandinavia” at all. Both cities have their own advantages and disadvantages to be called the capital.
People, just enjoy living in your Nordic region called Scandinavia with its special climate, traditions and culture! :o))