I noted in the Victoria 3.0 document that the City we want to model ourselves after in 2040 is Singapore. I guess they gave up on Scandinavian cities. Here are some tidbits on Singapore from wikipedia:
One commonly cited reason for a lack of opposition in Singapore is the use of defamation lawsuits by the PAP to bankrupt political opponents and disqualify them from running for office
Another reason given is the pursuit of legal action against journalists and bloggers critical of the PAP and its policies
The PAP (party that has ruled Singapore since its inception) has in the past threatened voters by saying that constituencies voting for opposition MPs would be put at the bottom of the list for public housing programs
The boundaries of electoral constituencies in Singapore are decided by the Elections Department, which is under the control of the Prime Minister's Office. Electoral boundaries are redrawn just a few days before the general election
Sounds like exactly what the progressives would want!