Sweden Democrats
Sweden Democrats Sverigedemokraterna | ||
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Parliamentary group leader Linda Lindberg | | |
Founded | 6 February 1988 | |
Preceded by | Sweden Party | |
Headquarters | Stockholm | |
Newspaper | SD-Kuriren | |
Youth wing |
| |
County Councils[7] | 224 / 1,696 | |
Municipal Councils[8] | 1,806 / 12,700 | |
Website | ||
sd | ||
The Sweden Democrats (
The party describes itself as
The Sweden Democrats oppose current
Support for the Sweden Democrats has grown steadily since the 1990s and the party crossed the 4% threshold necessary for parliamentary representation for the first time during the 2010 Swedish general election, polling 5.7% and gaining 20 seats in the Riksdag.[37][38] This increase in popularity has been compared by international media to other similar anti-immigration movements in Europe.[39] The party received increased support in the 2018 Swedish general election, when it polled 17.5% and secured 62 seats in parliament, becoming the third largest party in Sweden.[40][41] The Sweden Democrats were formerly isolated in the Riksdag until the late 2010s, with other parties maintaining a policy of refusing cooperation with them.[42][43] In 2019, the leader of the Christian Democrats, Ebba Busch announced that her party was ready to start negotiations with the Sweden Democrats in the Riksdag,[44] as did Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson. In the 2022 Swedish general election, the party ran as part of a broad right-wing alliance with those two parties and the Liberals, and came second overall with 20.5% of the vote.[15] Following the election and the Tidö Agreement, it was negotiated that SD agreed to support a Moderate Party-led government together with the Christian Democrats and the Liberals,.[45][46][47] It is the first time that SD holds direct influence over the government.[48][49]
History
Early years (1988–1995)

The Sweden Democrats party was founded in 1988 as a direct successor to the Sweden Party,[11] which in turn had been formed in 1986 by the merger of Bevara Sverige Svenskt (BSS; in English: "Keep Sweden Swedish") and a faction of the Swedish Progress Party.[31] SD claims 6 February 1988 as the date of its foundation, although observers tend to see the party's foundation as part of a complex decade-long series of events, with some even calling into question whether a meeting took place on 6 February.[50]
Initially, the party did not have a single centralized leader and was instead fronted by two alternating spokespeople before Anders Klarström became the party's sole official chairman and head of the Sweden Democrats' national board in 1989.[33][51]
According to
The party promoted concerts by the Swedish offshoot of Rock Against Communism and sponsored music of the nationalist Viking rock band Ultima Thule. Various party officials today acknowledge that being fans of Ultima Thule's music factored prominently in their decision to become politically engaged.[68] Early on, the party recommended international connections to its members such as the National Democratic Party of Germany, the American National Association for the Advancement of White People (founded by David Duke) and publications like the Nazi Nation Europa and Nouvelle École, a newspaper that advocates racial biology and the British neo-Nazi Combat 18 movement.[69][70][71]
The SD won municipal representation for the first time during the 1991 Swedish local elections in Dals-Ed Municipality and Höör.[72]
Moderation and growth (1995–2010)

In 1995, Klarström was replaced as party chairman by
During the 2000s the so-called "Scania gang", also known as the "Gang of Four" or "Fantastic Four," which consisted of the youth wing chairman Jimmie Åkesson, as well as Björn Söder, Mattias Karlsson and Richard Jomshof continued and expanded the moderation policy, which included ousting openly extremist members, banning neo-Nazi activists from attending party events or obtaining membership, and further revising the SD's policy platform.[75][71] Before the 2002 election, former Moderate Party MP Sten Christer Andersson defected to SD, citing that the party had gotten rid of its extreme-right elements.[77] In 2003 the party declared the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be a cornerstone of its policies.[78] In 2005, Åkesson defeated Jansson in a leadership contest. Shortly after, the party changed its logo from the flaming torch to one featuring an Anemone hepatica, reminiscent of the party's very first, but short-lived, logo (a stylised Myosotis scorpioides).[79]
Entrance into parliament and ideological realignment (2010–2014)
In the
In 2010, the SD leadership introduced a charter against racism on the party platform and later expanded this into a zero-tolerance policy regarding extremism. At the same time the SD also stated it would introduce a vetting procedure for all of its future parliamentary candidates.[80][81] In 2011 the party also changed its self-description from "nationalist" to "social conservative".[82]
Sweden Democrat MP William Petzäll was persuaded to leave the party on 26 September 2011 while still retaining his parliamentary seat.[83] This was done because of Petzäll's substance abuse and the problems this might cause for SD's public image. Petzäll later died of an overdose and his seat was turned over to Stellan Bojerud in September 2012.
In November 2012, videos from August 2010 were released, in segments, over the course of three days by Swedish newspaper Expressen (a year earlier, Expressen had released the same videos without making much noise). This came to be known as the Iron pipe scandal, although the same videos had already been released on YouTube by Erik Almqvist in 2010. The videos, recorded by MP Kent Ekeroth, featured him along with fellow Sweden Democrats MP Erik Almqvist and Christian Westling. The videos show Almqvist arguing with comedian Soran Ismail: Almqvist is referring to Sweden as "my country, not your country", as an insult to Ismail. They are also shown arguing with a drunken man. A woman can also be seen approaching Kent Ekeroth while filming; he calls her a whore and pushes her out of the way. A few minutes later they are seen picking up iron bars.[84] Coming only a month after party leader Åkesson had instated a zero-tolerance policy towards racism in the party,[36] the release of the video caused Almqvist to leave his position as the party's economic policy spokesperson and his place in the executive committee on 14 November. He excused himself as having been under a lot of pressure and threats of violence at the time.[85] As more segments of the video were released, revealing the other two men's involvement, the party announced on 15 November that Ekeroth would take a break from his position as the party's justice policy spokesman.[86] Almqvist and Ekeroth both took time off from their parliament seats. Sweden Democratic Youth president Gustav Kasselstrand and vice president William Hahne criticised the decision to remove Almqvist and Ekeroth in an op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, arguing that the party should not give in to media pressure.[87]

Only two weeks after Almqvist and Ekeroth were forced to step down, fellow MP Lars Isovaara reported being robbed of his backpack and pushed out of his wheelchair by "two unknown men of an immigrant background". When trying to get into the Riksdag, Isovaara was himself reported by the police for racial abuse against safety guards.[88] The Sweden Democrats initially defended Isovaara, but backed down when Expressen revealed that Isovaara had actually forgotten his backpack at a restaurant, and that the two men had helped him when he fell out of his wheelchair.[89] He left his seat in the Riksdag on 29 November, and was replaced by Markus Wiechel.[90]
Rise in national support (2014–2018)
In the European election of 2014 SD received 9.67% of votes, winning two seats in the European Parliament and becoming the fifth party of the country. The party later joined the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group.
In the 2014 election the Sweden Democrats received 12.9% of the votes, doubling their support and becoming the third-largest party. The party remained big in Scania and Blekinge; for example in Malmö the party received 14% of the votes, in Landskrona it received 19% of the votes and in Sjöbo a total of 30% rendering the party the largest in that municipality.[91] Other parties, however, remained firm in their decision to isolate them from exerting influence. Out of 29 constituencies electing parliamentarians, the party was the second largest in "Scania North & East" while being the third largest party in 25.[92] Although relying heavily on rural areas and the deep south, the party also made strong inroads and results above 15% in some medium-sized central Sweden cities such as Norrköping, Eskilstuna and Gävle, indicating a widening of its voter base in all areas.
Some time after that, Åkesson announced he would go on sick leave due to burnout.[93][94] Mattias Karlsson was appointed to temporarily take over Åkesson's duties as party leader.
On 23 March 2015, it was announced that Åkesson would return from his leave of absence to resume his duties as party leader following an interview to be broadcast on the Friday, 27 March instalment of the Skavlan program on SVT, and a subsequent press conference with the Swedish media.[95][96]
Amid media coverage regarding the high immigration figures and the
Entering mainstream politics (2018–2022)
In early 2018
On 2 July 2018 the two Sweden Democrats MEPs left the EFDD group and moved to the European Conservatives and Reformists group.
In the 2018 Swedish general election, the SD increased its support to 17.5% of the vote,[100][101][102][103][104] though it did not grow as much as most polls had predicted.[105][106] According to Emily Schultheis of Foreign Policy, the SD won an ideological victory, as it "effectively set the terms for debate" and forced its rivals to adopt immigration policies similar to its own,[107] and other reporters made similar observations.[108][109] The SD performed particularly well in Skåne County, having the highest number of voters in 21 out of the county's 33 municipalities.[110] An SVT analysis of the results found that at least 22 seats in 17 city councils would be empty as the Sweden Democrats won more seats than the number of candidates it had.[111][112] The party also received its first mayor, in Hörby Municipality.[113]
Following the election, Christian Democratic leader Ebba Busch announced that her party was willing to enter negotiations with the Sweden Democrats in the Riksdag.[44] In December 2019, Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson held an official meeting with the Sweden Democrat leadership for the first time, despite having previously ruled out negotiating with the party. This led to speculation that the SD could be included in a new centre-right grouping to replace the Alliance which had collapsed after the Centre Party and the Liberal Party left to support the Social Democratic led government.[114][115]
In October 2018, the Sweden Democrats went into a governing coalitions with the Moderate Party and the Christian Democrats for the first time in Staffanstorp Municipality, Sölvesborg Municipality, Herrljunga Municipality and Bromölla Municipality.[116][117] In Bromölla, coalition felt apart in 2020, while new coalitions with the SD emerged in Svalöv Municipality (2019), Bjuv Municipality (2020) and Surahammar Municipality (2021).
In 2020, Mattias Karlsson, the former group leader of the Sweden Democrats in the Riksdag founded Oikos, a conservative think-tank which has been alleged to be an "extension of the Sweden Democrats' political project", supposedly also receiving funding from the party.[118]
2022 general election (since 2022)
Ahead of the 2022 Swedish general election, the SD attempted to form a conservative grouping with the Moderates, Christian Democrats and the Liberals and requested ministerial posts in government should the right-wing bloc form a parliamentary majority.[119] During the election, the SD campaigned to reduce asylum migration close to zero, stricter policies on work permits, lower energy bills and a tougher stance on gang violence with longer prison sentences.[120][121] Preliminary results indicated that the Sweden Democrats had seen their strongest result to date and had overtaken the Moderates to become the second largest party with 20.6% of the vote. The result was confirmed after the election.[122]
In October 2022, the SD was allocated chairmanship of four parliamentary committees for the first time in the Riksdag with party secretary Richard Jomshof appointed to head the Justice Committee, Aron Emilsson the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Tobias Andersson the Committee on Industry and Trade, and Magnus Persson the Committee on the Labour Market.[123][124]
The party also formed a deal with Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson to provide for the first time in their history parliamentary support to a Moderate Party-led government as part of the Tidö Agreement.[125][126]
Ideology and political positions
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Conservatism in Sweden |
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The Sweden Democrats' current party programme is based on "democratic nationalism" and social conservatism.[127][128] The party has also stated its main focus to be the areas of immigration, law & order and the elderly. The party also attaches particular importance to its economic and family policy.[129] The SD criticizes multiculturalism in Sweden and emphasizes preserving national heritage. It is also opposed to what it sees as a constant shift of power from Stockholm to the European Union and campaigns to protect Swedish national identity and financial autonomy against the EU.[130]
Nordic Studies scholar
Oscar Sjöstedt, the SD's financial spokesperson, places the party around the centre on the left–right political spectrum,[142] while leader Jimmie Åkesson has stated that they are parallel with the Moderate Party.[143] In addition, the party has in recent years increasingly distanced itself from other European ultra-nationalist or far-right parties.[11][144] In spite of this, a 2022 report by Swedish researchers Acta Publica claimed to have found 289 Swedish politicians who expressed racist or neo-Nazi views, with 214 of them being members of the SD.[145][146]
Immigration
The Sweden Democrats believe that current Swedish immigration and integration policies have been a national failure. In a statement filed before the Riksdag Committee on Migration in August 2020, SD claims that Sweden's "irresponsible" immigration and asylum policies have subjected Sweden to an on-going "long-term, albeit low-intensity crisis".[147] Their official policy brief states that the party "welcomes those who contribute to our [Sweden's] society, who follow our laws and respect our customs. On the other hand, anyone who comes here and exploits our systems, commits crimes or exposes our citizens to danger is not welcome."[148] When handling asylum seekers, the party supports protecting national sovereignty in regards to Sweden's decisions on migration and border control, as well as "the principle of first safe country", meaning that asylum seekers should only be able to seek asylum in the first safe country that they arrive in. Until such legislation is realized, SD supports setting limits on the right to welfare and making cultural integration mandatory. The party opposes offering permanent residency to asylum seekers, believing that temporary residency should be the standard for those who claim asylum in Sweden. SD supports Sweden eventually accepting refugees exclusively through the UNHCR resettlement programme in accordance with a quota based on each municipality's capacity.[147][149] The party also supports giving priority to persecuted secular, Christian, former Muslim and other religious or sexual minorities fleeing war or death for apostasy believing that such individuals are less likely to be offered refuge elsewhere.[150] Ahead of the 2022 Swedish general election, the party campaigned to tighten the rules in the Swedish Aliens Act (Utlänningslagen ) to the strictest possible level within European law and encourage voluntary re-migration of asylum seekers and immigrants who are economically inactive or culturally unassimilated.[151]
Historically, SD sought to repatriate most immigrants and ban immigration entirely; however, these policies were moderated in the 1990s before being scrapped altogether.
The SD wants European governments to construct a security wall along the European border with Turkey in response to illegal immigration, terrorism and incursions by the
In recent years SD has tried to approach the immigration policy of the Danish People's Party, which from 2001 to 2011 provided parliamentary support for the former Danish liberal/conservative government in return for a tightening of Danish immigration policies and stricter naturalisation laws.[159]
Foreign policy
The Sweden Democrats support close political co-operation within the Nordic sphere, but are
The Sweden Democrats are supportive of
The party supports closer military cooperation with neighboring Nordic countries and previously opposed Swedish membership of NATO, instead calling for an alignment without full membership.[170] However, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine the SD leadership announced it would consider changing its policy to endorse NATO membership and support joining if Finland also applied for NATO membership.[171] The SD has also taken a strongly pro-Ukraine position following the invasion and has called on Sweden and Western governments to help the Ukrainian people defend their homeland.[155]
In 2022, an analysis of votes relating to Russia in the European Parliament found that the Sweden Democrats were the 10th-most critical party in the parliament having voted against Russian interests 93 percent of the time.[172] The report found that among all Swedish parties the Sweden Democrats were the most critical of Russia.[173]
National identity and culture
SD values a strong, common national and cultural identity, believing this to be one of the most basic cornerstones of a functioning democracy. Minimizing linguistic, cultural and religious differences in society has a positive effect on societal cohesion, according to the party. The Swedish nation is defined "in terms of loyalty, a common language and common culture." A requirement for becoming a member of the Swedish nation is to either "be born in it or [...] by actively choosing to be a part of it." For these reasons among others, SD firmly rejects multiculturalism.[128]
In an interview for
The Sweden Democrats advocates a cultural policy that would strip funding for multicultural initiatives and strengthen support for traditional Swedish culture. This agenda has often manifested itself as opposition to state funding of immigrant cultural organisations and festivals, and support for traditional Swedish craft, folk music, and folk dance groups. The party also tends to oppose state support for cultural initiatives deemed provocative or elitist.[68] A 2014 letter signed by 52 Swedish anthropologists, criticised the Sweden Democrats' use of the terms "culture" (kultur [kɵlˈtʉːr] ⓘ) and "anthropology" (antropologi [antrɔpʊlʊˈɡiː] ⓘ), claiming their views on culture were "essentialist and obsolete", clarifying that culture is "dynamic" and "in constant change".[183]
The Sweden Democrats criticise modern art and have accused local councils of wasting public money on what it calls "provocative" art.[184] The SD want citizens to be able to vote in local referendums on public art displayed near schools, public transport stations and town centres. "The important thing is that what is expressed in the public environment is anchored to the citizens and especially the local residents who are most often in the environment so that they feel an identification", says the party's cultural spokesperson Aron Emilsson.[185] Sweden Democrats mayor in Sölvesborg Louise Erixon claimed "There's a big division between what the general public thinks is beautiful and interesting and what a tiny cultural elite thinks is exciting."[186]
The Sweden Democrats also support a ban on the
Economy and welfare
The Sweden Democrats have described themselves as supporters of the
Political author Anders Backlund described the party as "economically centrist," leaning towards economic nationalism (in contrast to the other Swedish conservative parties who tend to favour open free markets and global cosmopolitan philosophies) and supporting a
Family and LGBT
The Sweden Democrats consider children raised in a nuclear family as the preferred option for the child's development. Those not raised by their biological parents should have the right to associate with or at least find out who they were. SD has been critical of adoption and artificial insemination for same-sex couples and polyamorous people.[196] The party now fully supports same-sex marriage and civil partnerships for gay couples but believes the ultimate decision to perform ceremonies should be decided by the individual religious institution rather than the state.[197]
SD previously opposed government sanctioned adoption to single people, same-sex couples and polyamorous relationships unless the adopting party are close relatives or already have a close relationship with the child.
Historically, members of SD have criticized a so-called "
Throughout the early 2000s, SD-Kuriren (the official SD party newspaper) regularly published articles criticizing LGBT events and describing homosexuality as "perversion", before moderating itself alongside a shift in party ideology.
An unofficial
In recent years, the SD has shifted its stance to supporting LGBT rights and same-sex parenting through updating its policies on LGBT issues. In its current platform, the SD states "everyone must be treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation, and discrimination must be combated."[210][211] In a 2018 interview, SD member of the Riksdag and gender-equality spokesperson Paula Bieler stated that homophobes "are not welcome in our party."[212]
The SD supports
The party also calls for a ban on child, polygamous and
Gender equality and social justice
SD opposes any "negative or positive special treatment on the basis of gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnic origin" in the labour market.[215]
The party maintains that, collectively, there are biological differences between men and women, some of which that cannot be "observed with the naked eye". Perceived differences between men and women in regards to preference, behaviour and life choices exist due to each individual's choices and does not necessarily have to be "problematic, the result of discrimination nor the result of an oppressive gender power structure".[215]
Environment
The party argues that, while Sweden should maintain its "active role in global climate cooperation", other countries should reduce their emissions, as it believes Sweden to already be doing enough on that front.
Law and order and security
The Sweden Democrats support generally increased minimum sentences as well as increased resources and personnel for the
SD previously supported the reinstatement of capital punishment before dropping it as an official policy after the party program was updated in 1998, although individuals within the party continue to support the death penalty for serious crimes such as murder and infanticide.[222][223]
The SD is also opposed to repatriating and offering state funded assistance to Swedish citizens who joined
Defense
SD wants to increase the number of Swedish Army brigades to seven from today's two.[215]
The party has stated that it would seek to raise Sweden's defense spending to 2–2.5% of GDP.[170][215]
Monarchy
The party is a supporter of the Swedish monarchy playing a constitutional and cultural role in Swedish life, but also supports an amendment to the constitution that obligates the Riksdag to elect a new monarch in the event of there being no heir to the throne.[225]
Other public policies
reliable, independent, third-party sources. (August 2016) |
SD wishes to lower the tax rate for the elderly, as well as increase subsidised housing for the elderly. SD also wishes to allocate additional resources to municipalities in order to provide seniors with greater food assistance and, in general, improve their quality of life. SD has also emphasised a desire to crack down on abuses and crimes of which the elderly are particular targets.[226]
The Sweden Democrats are critical of the special rights given to the indigenous
International relations
In its early days, the Sweden Democrats was known to associate itself with both native Swedish and wider European extreme-right activist groups and parties.
Since 2018, the SD has been a member of the
Reception and controversies
During the 1980s and early 1990s, many outspoken
Isolation in parliament
Both before and after the
Media boycotts
The Sweden Democrats have complained about difficulties buying advertising space due to the media banning the party from advertising and have accused media outlets of trying to censor or limit the party's campaign messages during elections.
Muhammad cartoon debate
After the Danish daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten published twelve cartoons depicting Muhammad and ignited a controversy during the 2005 autumn and winter, the Sweden Democrats gave their unreserved support to the publication with reference to the freedom of speech. SD stated that it saw no reason why a Danish newspaper should be forced to abide by Muslim rules and prohibitions regarding expression. When the boycott of Danish products was launched in the Middle East, SD launched a "Buy Danish" campaign in support of Danish workers.[256][third-party source needed] In 2006 SD entered the Muhammad cartoon debate by publishing a cartoon depicting Muhammad on its youth league (SDU) and SD-Kuriren (pronounced [ˈɛ̂sːdeːkɵˌriːrɛn] ⓘ) websites. The cartoon showed Muhammad from behind holding a mirror in front of his face. However, instead of any facial features, the mirror showed only a blank head. The cartoon was captioned "Muhammad's Face" (Swedish: Muhammeds ansikte [mɵˈhǎmːɛds ˈânːsɪktɛ] ⓘ).[257]
The publication attracted the attention of the Swedish government, which informed internet service provider Levonline about the SD's publications. Subsequently, Levonline shut down SD's web page. The
This event spurred debate on government censorship in Sweden. The Sweden Democrats also had a hate speech charge filed against them due to the posted caricature.[262] Similar hate speech charges were filed against other Swedish publishers who had depicted Muhammad.[257] However, these charges were immediately deemed to be unfounded by the Swedish Chancellor of Justice.[263]
The Sweden Democrats originally planned to publish a set of cartoons in their newspaper SD-Kuriren. However, after the controversy erupted, Jimmie Åkesson issued a statement on SD's website on 9 February 2006, stating that they would refrain from further publications online and in print, due to concerns that publishing might spur hostile actions against Swedes and Swedish interests.[264][265][266][third-party source needed]
The shutdown of the Sweden Democrats' websites was reported to the
Racist incidents and expulsions
The Sweden Democrats have, among all Swedish parliamentary parties, had the largest share of elected municipal representatives resign since the 2010 elections (27.8%).[271] Many of these resignations were brought on by racist statements or actions by these representatives.[272]
In November 2012, party spokesperson Erik Almqvist resigned after he had been caught on tape making racist and sexist statements.[273] Another video later surfaced, showing how Almqvist, in addition to party spokesperson Kent Ekeroth and party official Christian Westling were arming themselves with iron pipes before they sought out a confrontation with Soran Ismail, a Swedish comedian of Kurdish descent.[274] In November 2012, parliamentarian Lars Isovaara resigned after accusing two people of foreign origin of stealing his bag (which Isovaara had left at a restaurant) and then proceeding to verbally abuse a security guard of a foreign background.[275] Isovaara's replacement in parliament, Markus Wiechel, was found in April 2013 to have referred to a group of black people as "monkeys" in a Facebook comment back in 2011. Wiechel later apologised and stated the comment had been in reference to a video of a tribal witch burning in Africa.[276]
In March 2013, 12 individuals were thrown out of the party for their involvement in
In October 2016, a video of the parliamentarian and economic policy spokesperson
Between 2015 and 2016 various members of the party were expelled from the SD for expressing extremist or racist views,[285][286][287] or because of disagreement with the party's shift towards moderation and social conservatism.[287] In April 2015, the Sweden Democratic Youth leaders were also expelled for these reasons,[285][287] and the organisation was dissolved shortly after with the mother party issuing a warning for remaining SDU members to leave the youth wing or be expelled from the party.[287] In December 2016, the parliamentarian Anna Hagwall was thrown out of the party after using arguments associated with antisemitism to argue for a bill that she introduced in parliament intended to reduce concentration of media ownership in Sweden.[286][288]
In September 2017, a report from Dagens ETC found that 14 former municipal representatives of the party had infiltrated the SD in order to financially support the Nordic Resistance Movement,[289][290] a neo-Nazi organisation, through financial transactions,[289][290] memberships,[289][290] or purchases of antisemitic and racist literature or souvenirs.[289][290] In August 2018, 2 members were kicked out due to purchases of Nazi memorabilia online;[291] following the expulsions, Michael Erlandsson, one of the SD spokesmen,[291] publicly stated that people who "have these types of views and share these types of materials" have no place in the party.[291] 14 candidates were expelled from the party as well after being exposed as former members of neo-Nazi organisations.[292] Referring to the latest expulsions, SD leader Jimmie Åkesson declared that the party "works extremely hard to keep clean".[292]
In March 2022, parliamentarian
Researcher on Nordic nationalism Benjamin R. Teitelbaum described the present day version Sweden Democrats as paradoxical compared to other European nationalist parties on the issues of racism and radicalism. Teitelbaum notes that in contrast to other Nordic and wider European populist parties, the SD differs by having a past rooted in white nationalism and extremism, but in the present day is comparably more proactive in rejecting ethno-nationalism and expelling members who make racist statements to the point where he considers the SD to be on the "softer side" of national-populism.[131] Similar observations were made by British conservative author Douglas Murray who described the SD as undergoing one of the most significant transformations on the European political right from a party on the fringes that openly pushed extreme tendencies to a more mainstream movement that draws on diverse support.[71]
Ashley Fox, leader of the British Conservative MEPs, praised the Sweden Democrats regarding the party's policy decisions on the expulsion of extremist and racist members:[5] "Over the past decade the Sweden Democrats have made progress in reforming themselves, expelling any members displaying unacceptable views or behaviour and diversifying their party base."[5]
Lobbying
The Sweden Democrats came under fire in 2015 for changing their position on profits made by private welfare companies. Before the
Electoral results
Riksdag
Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/- | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | 1,118 | 0.0 | 0 / 349
|
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Extra-parliamentary |
1991 | 4,887 | 0.1 (#10) | 0 / 349
|
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Extra-parliamentary |
1994 | 13,954 | 0.3 (#9) | 0 / 349
|
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Extra-parliamentary |
1998 | 19,624 | 0.4 (#8) | 0 / 349
|
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Extra-parliamentary |
2002 | 76,300 | 1.4 (#8) | 0 / 349
|
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Extra-parliamentary |
2006 | 162,463 | 2.9 (#8) | 0 / 349
|
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Extra-parliamentary |
2010 | 339,610 | 5.7 (#6) | 20 / 349
|
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Opposition |
2014 | 801,178 | 12.9 (#3) | 49 / 349
|
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Opposition |
2018 | 1,135,627 | 17.5 (#3) | 62 / 349
|
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Opposition |
2022 | 1,330,325 | 20.5 (#2) | 73 / 349
|
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External support |
European Parliament
Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/- | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | 8,568 | 0.3 | 0 / 22
|
||
2004 | 28,303 | 1.1 (#9) | 0 / 19
|
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2009 | 103,584 | 3.3 (#10) | 0 / 19
|
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2014 | 359,248 | 9.7 (#5) | 2 / 20
|
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2019 | 636,877 | 15.3 (#3) | 3 / 20
|
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Maps
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2010: The party's share of the vote by municipality (lighter shades indicate a higher percentage of votes)
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2014: The party's share of the vote by municipality (darker shades indicate a higher percentage of votes)
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2018: The party's share of the vote by municipality (darker shades indicate a higher percentage of votes)
-
2022: The party's share of the vote by municipality (darker shades indicate a higher percentage of votes)
Leadership
Party leader
- Anders Klarström (1989–1995)
- Mikael Jansson (1995–2005)
- Jimmie Åkesson (2005–present)
First Deputy Party leader
- Jonas Åkerlund (2006–2015)
- Julia Kronlid (2015–2019)
- Henrik Vinge (2019–present)
Second Deputy Party leader
- Jonas Åkerlund (2005–2006)
- Anna Hagwall (2006–2009)
- Carina Ståhl Herrstedt(2009–2019)
- Julia Kronlid (2019–present)
Secretary
- Jakob Eriksson (1998–2001)
- Jimmy Windeskog (2001–2003)
- Torbjörn Kastell (2003–2004)
- Jan Milld (2004–2005)
- David Lång (2005)
- Björn Söder (2005–2015)
- Richard Jomshof (2015–2022)
- Mattias Bäckström Johansson (2022–present)
Parliamentary group leader
- Björn Söder (2010–2014)
- Mattias Karlsson (2014–2019)
- Henrik Vinge (2019–2023)
- Linda Lindberg[297] (2023–present)
International secretary
- Mattias Karlsson (2022-)
Party spokesmen
- Leif Zeilon and Jonny Berg (1988–1989; spokespersons)
- Ola Sundberg and Anders Klarström (1989–1990; spokespersons)
- Anders Klarström and Madeleine Larsson (1990–1992; spokespersons)
Other prominent party members
- Sten Andersson (28 February 1943 – 16 August 2010)
- Tommy Funebo
- Dragan Klaric
Internal structure
The Sweden Democrats are made up of 16 districts of local party associations with executive boards. Each district consists of a number of municipal associations, which may include one or more municipalities. In municipalities that are not covered by a municipal association, the party organises its members as working groups instead. The SD also has a centralized national board permanently chaired by the party leader and party secretary and whose other members are elected by the SD's membership base.[298]
Within the SD there is a women's branch SD-Women[299] and an affiliated youth-wing Young Swedes SDU which was founded in 2015.[300] The SD's first youth-wing was founded in 1993 as the Sweden Democratic Youth Association before it was renamed the Sweden Democratic Youth (SDU). The old SDU was disbanded in 1995 due to extremism problems before it was reconstituted in 1998. Many prominent SD politicians including party leader Jimmie Åkesson were members of the SDU. In 2015, the SD announced it would expel the leadership of the SDU from the mother party and officially sever ties with it due to ongoing controversies with its members. The party subsequently created the Young Swedes SDU as a replacement.[301][302]
Following the 2010 Swedish general election, the SD created its own security unit which by 2014 consisted of an estimated 60 people. SD states that the unit is intended to handle internal issues within the party, including cybersecurity, to marshal public events and to encourage members to report external threats to the police.[303][304] The SD has argued the security wing is necessary due to threats against SD politicians and highlighted a 2012 report by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention which found one in two of every local SD politician had experienced some form of threat, harassment or physical violence, and that SD legislators were statistically twice as more likely to be threatened than members of other parties. SD reported 95 instances of threats or violence against elected officials to the police and Riksdag security in 2012.[304][305]
Associated organisations and media
Since its founding, the SD has published its own newspaper SD-Kuriren which was previously known as Sverige-Kuriren and then SD Bulletin until 2003. Party secretary Richard Jomshof currently serves as the paper's editor.[306] In 2014, the party also launched an online magazine Samtiden (Contemporary). It is currently edited by Swedish economist Dick Erixon.[307]
In 2020, Mattias Karlsson, the former group leader of the Sweden Democrats in the Riksdag founded Oikos, a conservative think-tank. Expo has alleged the think-tank to be an "extension of the Sweden Democrats' political project" supposedly also receiving funding from the party[118] although the group itself claims to be non-partisan.[272]
In 2020, the party also helped to launch a web based TV channel
Voter demography
According to the
A study by Aftonbladet in 2010 found that 14% of SD members were of immigrant origin,[312][313] which matches the share of foreign-born inhabitants of Sweden, while their vote share in this population group has always been lower.[314] For the 2010 election in the municipality of Södertälje (Stockholm County), SD was the only party with a majority of immigrants on its electoral list, mostly Assyrians from the Middle East.[315] Polling 7.31% (3,447 votes), SD's municipal list in Södertälje got 5 of the 65 municipal seats.[316] Nader Helawi and four other Swedes of immigrant origin will sit as municipal councilors.[317] Since 2014, the SD has seen growing support from foreign-born Swedish voters, and was estimated to have become the third most popular party for voters of immigrant backgrounds by 2017.[310] In recent years, politicians of ethnic minority and immigrant backgrounds have become increasingly active in the party, with notable examples including Nima Gholam Ali Pour,[318] Kent Ekeroth, Sara Gille[319] and Rashid Farivar.[320]
Preference for SD | May 2014 | May 2017 | May 2018 | May 2020 | May 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All voters | 6.0% | 13.5% | 14.7% | 16.7% | 16.5% |
Male | 8.7% | 17.9% | 19.7% | 22.8% | 23.3% |
Female | 3.4% | 9.2% | 9.7% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
Native born | 6.5% | 13.9% | 15.3% | 17.4% | 17.2% |
Foreign born | 1.8% | 10.7% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 12.1% |
Swedish background | 6.7% | 13.7% | 15.2% | 24.4% | 25.1% |
Foreign background | 2.0% | 12.8% | 12.0% | 14.7% | 14.3% |
Source: | [311] | [321] | [322] |
Preference for SD and education | May 2014 | May 2017 | May 2018 | May 2020 | May 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All voters | 6.0% | 13.5% | 14.7% | 16.7% | 16.5% |
Primary education | 9.6% | 17.5% | 19.1% | 23.5% | 21.1% |
Secondary education | 7.7% | 17.5% | 19.8% | 22.0% | 22.3% |
Post-secondary education less than three years | 2.5% | 10.4% | 7.8% | 10.0% | 11.8% |
Post-secondary education three years or more | 1.7% | 4.8% | 6.0% | 6.7% | 6.5% |
Source: | [311] | [321] | [322] | [323] |
Preference for SD and income | May 2014 | May 2017 | May 2018 | May 2020 | May 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All voters | 6.0% | 13.5% | 14.7% | 16.7% | 16.5% |
Lowest quintile | 7.2% | 11.9% | 14.5% | 13.8% | 13.8% |
Second quintile | 7.2% | 16.1% | 15.0% | 16.6% | 15.7% |
Third quintile | 6.2% | 15.3% | 15.1% | 18.8% | 18.8% |
Fourth quintile | 6.0% | 13.5% | 17.6% | 19.0% | 20.1% |
Highest quintile | 4.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 14.8% | 14.4% |
Source: | [311] | [321] | [322] | [323] |
Preference for SD and socioeconomic group | May 2014 | May 2017 | May 2018 | May 2020 | May 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All voters | 6.0% | 13.5% | 14.7% | 16.7% | 16.5% |
Unskilled blue-collar workers | 8.9 % | 16.3% | 20.6% | 24.1% | 24.5% |
Skilled blue-collar workers | 9.5% | 22.6% | 22.1% | 26.3% | 27.8% |
Lower level white-collar worker | 6.3% | 12.2% | 12.1% | 11.8% | 13.8% |
Middle level white-collar workers | 2.9% | 8.7% | 10.7% | 12.6% | 11.8% |
Higher level white-collar workers | 2.3% | 7.2% | 7.7% | 10.7% | 8.3% |
Self-employed (including farmers) | 6.2% | 16.3% | 17.7% | 24.8% | 23.3% |
Other businessmen (including farmers) | 12.2% | 21.8% | 16.7% | 27.0% | |
Students | 3.3% | 6.7% | 12.6% | 6.5% | n/a |
Source: | [311] | [321] | [322] | [323] |
Changes in voter base at the general elections, 2006–2022
Socio-economic groups and gender of voters
|
Percentage of which voting for the Sweden Democrats | |||||
Group/Gender | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue-collar workers | 3 | 6 | 11 | 24 | 29 | |
White-collar workers | 1 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 15 | |
Businessmen and farmers | 2 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 24 | |
Male | 2 | 5 | 16 | 22 | 25 | |
Female | 1 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 16 | |
Source: | [324] |
See also
References
- ^ "Tusentals medlemmar lämnade S i fjol – bara SD ökade" [Thousands of members leave S last year – only SD increases]. Nyheter Idag (in Swedish). 30 April 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-137-42754-0.. BBC News. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- "EU parliament sees birth of new right-wing group". EUobserver. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- "Tory minders gag right-wing allies in the ECR". The Times. London. 8 November 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
- "New-look European Parliament"
- Duxbury, Charlie (25 March 2021). "Sweden's far right takes a step closer to power". Politico Europe. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- "Swedish opposition leader tasked with forming new government". The Guardian. Stockholm: Agence France-Presse. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- "Swedish PM faces no-confidence vote, what happens now?". Reuters. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- "Magdalena Andersson: Sweden's first female PM returns after resignation". BBC News. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- "Swedish government set to lose confidence vote: parties". France 24. Stockholm. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- Pelinka, Anton (2013), "Right-wing Populism: Concept and Typology", Right-Wing Populism in Europe: Politics and Discourse, Bloomsbury, p. 14
- Tolinsson Ting, Kristina (2014), "Sweden: Social Solitariness", European National Identities: Elements, Transitions, Conflicts, Transaction, p. 246
- Finseraas, Henning (2012), "Anti-immigration attitudes, support for redistribution and party choice in Europe", Changing Social Equality: The Nordic Welfare Model in the 21st Century, Policy Press, p. 23
- David Crouch (14 December 2014). "The rise of the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats: 'We don't feel at home any more, and it's their fault'". the Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- Ellinas, Antonis A. (2010), The Media and the Far Right in Western Europe: Playing the Nationalist Card, Cambridge University Press, pp. 10–11
- "The far right in northern Europe". Economist. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
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He points to a widely-reported study published last month by Swedish research group Acta Publica that claimed to have identified 289 politicians from the largest parties who had expressed views that could be deemed racist or even Nazi.
Paula Bieler, gender-equality spokesperson of the xenophobic Sweden Democrats, says homophobes 'are not welcome in our party'.
För att genomgå en fysisk könskorrigering ska kravet vara psykisk stabilitet.
Bibliography
- Green-Pedersen, Christoffer; Odmalm, Pontus (2009). Going different ways? Right-wing parties and the immigrant issue in Denmark and Sweden. Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe. Routledge. pp. 53–67.
- Mulinari, Diana; Neergaard, Anders (2012). The Sweden Democrats, racisms and the construction of the Muslim threat. Global Islamophobia: Muslims and Moral Panic in the West. London: Ashgate.
- Mulinari, Diana; Neergaard, Anders (February 2014). "We are Sweden Democrats because we care for others: Exploring racisms in the Swedish extreme right". European Journal of Women's Studies. 21 (1): 43–56. S2CID 46645622.
- Oja, Simon; ISBN 978-1-78093-343-6.
- ISBN 978-1-84545-218-6. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
External links
Media related to Sverigedemokraterna at Wikimedia Commons
- (in Swedish) Official website
- (in Swedish) Jimmie Åkesson's website
- (in Swedish) SD-Kuriren
- (in Swedish) Young Swedes SDU