Swedish octopus predicts election result

The centre-right alliance is a dead-cert to win the upcoming parliamentary election in Sweden, if a slightly fishy forecaster is to be believed. In a study inspired by the world-renowned German octopus, Paul – who predicted the outcome of every World Cup game correctly during this year’s tournament – newspaper Sydsvenskan Daily has recruited the services of another eight-limbed oracle.

Melvin the octopus, who resides at the Universeum science centre in Gothenburg, picked the blue plastic box – representing Sweden’s centre right alliance – twice in a row when the colours of the country’s two coalitions were dunked into his tank.

“Melvin’s choice was clear. There was never any doubt about his movements,” the Sydsvenskan Daily wrote on Friday, adding that the octopus was given two chances to choose in order to prove the study’s scientific merit.

Melvin – a vulgaris, or common octopus – was born in the Mediterranean Sea like his predicting pal Paul, but has spent most of his life at the Gothenburg centre. With just a month to go before the Swedish electorate hits the polling booth, it remains to be seen whether octopuses are as apt at predicting politics as they are at forecasting football.