Labours day and mc-parade

Well the 1´st of May is the international Labours day. Since we don´t have any big industries on the Åland islands the political left with it´s support from the working class has always been quite weak in the past. But it´s growing as the gap between the classes. It´s a new situation and according to my opinion very sad to follow the developement in the Nordic democratic welfare states. We have a long and proud history of democracy and social welfare but now we are winding it up step by step.

The Centre Party has as almost always been the leading party in the Åland islands. Today they are governing together with the local Liberal party, wich is a social-liberal party in the middle. The socialdemocrats is in the opposition together with the conservative (right-wing party). Today we don´t have a left party at all. No demonstrations were hold, no marches. But You could see a couple of red banners and baloons when the Union and the Socialdemocratic party had a manifestation in the centre of Mariehamn.

Symptomaticly the traditional second-hand market and the mc-parade is the biggest events this day. I attended them all. I gave my children red baloons, listened to the speaches held by the social-democrats and the union members and then we saw the mc-parade. My husband was driving his old Harley Davidson-bike and my oldest daughter sat back.