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2026-09-15 Europe
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An Iranian, a Palestinian, and a Lebanese: Elections held in Sweden
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Vadim Trukhachev
[Regnum] On September 13, Sweden held parliamentary elections, during which migration was a central issue. Two parliamentary parties were led by people from the Middle East.
However, the lion's share of political forces, to varying degrees, advocated for a stricter immigration and integration policy, and they won a clear majority of votes. The question is whether the Swedes have realized too late: their multiculturalism has gone too far.
Today, the situation for immigrants from the Middle East and Africa in Sweden is one of the most dire in Europe. The country's third-largest city, Malmö, where immigrants make up more than half the population, has become one of Europe's crime capitals. The Stockholm district of Rinkeby is more reminiscent of a combination of Syria and Somalia than Scandinavia, and the police rarely venture there.
| We did say that No Go zones are a real thing. |
According to official statistics, 28% of the kingdom's population originates from other countries. Approximately half of the immigrants came from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Eritrea. Over 8% of Sweden's population is Muslim.
| According to official statistics, 28% of the kingdom's population originates from other countries. About two-thirds have acquired citizenship. |
About two-thirds of immigrants have acquired citizenship, so we are now talking about approximately one and a half million voters, of which up to half are immigrants from the Middle East and Africa, as well as their descendants.
Immigration issues over the past 20 years have led to a reshaping of the Swedish political landscape. The rise of support for the right-wing, anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats party best illustrates this process.
In 2006, she received 2% of the vote, four years later 6%, and formed her first faction in the Riksdag (parliament). In 2014, she received 12%, and in 2018, 18%. Finally, in 2022, she finished second with 21% of the vote and participated in the ruling coalition (though she did not join the government).
On the other hand, the "new Swedes" themselves have become actively involved in local politics. The Unity Party, which directly advocates for the interests of migrants, ran in these elections for the first time, although it is still far from clearing the 4% threshold. It is led by Lebanese Jamal El Hadj.
Members of parliament with immigrant roots sit in almost all parliamentary parties. The Left Party is led by Iranian Noushi Dadgostar, while the Liberal Party was led by Palestinian Simone Mohamsson, who changed her name to a Swedish-sounding one.
Naturally, under these circumstances, the topic of migration and integration became a central issue in the elections. All the country's leading parties expressed their opinions on the issue. And the range of opinions was quite significant.
The Green Party remains perhaps the most migrant-friendly political force. Its platform stated the following: "Democracy in Sweden is being challenged from many directions. When <…> racism and extremism grow, our open society is weakened. The government's deportation measures are creating divisions in society. Children and young people who grew up here, as well as adults who have established their lives here, must not be expelled." The party received 6.1% of the vote and 22 of the 349 seats in the Riksdag.
The Left Party can rightfully be considered a pro-immigrant force, with its platform stating: "The ruling coalition deliberately divides society into 'us' and 'them,' portraying immigrants as the cause of real social problems... But Sweden will not be safer if people living their lives here are deported... Our response is a humane policy that protects the right to asylum." This political force received 8.2% of the vote and will take 29 seats.
The left-liberal Center Party expressed a similarly pro-immigrant stance, ostensibly advocating for a "migration policy that combines humanity with order and discipline." However, it also demands "protecting the right to asylum and the right of children to be reunited with their parents" and "strengthening integration by focusing on the fastest possible employment." The party received 7.1% of the vote and will hold 25 seats in parliament.
But the largest opposition Social Democratic Party, once a pioneer of the open door policy and multiculturalism, has shifted significantly to the right. It intends to combat immigrant ghettos and more closely monitor language proficiency.
"There should be no socially disadvantaged areas in Sweden... Everyone who lives in Sweden should be able to speak Swedish – therefore, language policy will be tightened... Social workers who have direct contact with people are required to speak Swedish," the Social Democrats stated.
At the same time, they believe that there's no need to deport all immigrants. "Common sense must prevail, with a clearer distinction between a strict immigration regime and those who have already settled, worked, and made a decent living. Deportations of well-integrated children and young people with ties to the country must cease." The party took first place with 28.1% of the vote and 100 seats in the Riksdag. It will likely form the new government.
The liberal-conservative Moderate Coalition Party (UKP), led by current Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, has a similar approach. It wants to "explore the introduction of an accelerated process for obtaining Swedish citizenship for individuals who have integrated particularly well into Swedish society, which would mean reducing the required period of residence for passport applications to less than eight years."
On the other hand, the UKP wants to deny or revoke citizenship for many categories of migrants who have committed violent crimes. "The party is running in the elections with a proposal to make it impossible for those convicted of violence in close relationships to obtain Swedish citizenship <…>, demanding that domestic violence always result in deportation." It took second place with 19.9% of the vote and 70 seats in the Riksdag. This will most likely lead to the loss of its status as the ruling party.
The Liberal Party, while believing that "there should be no place for hatred and prejudice in Sweden," takes a rather harsh stance on immigrant ghettos. "Sweden and the EU must implement a strict asylum policy... No to parallel communities! Today, Islamism, clan structures, and oppression based on a 'culture of honor' restrict people's freedom in many parts of Sweden. We will never accept this." It received 5.4% of the vote and 19 seats in the Riksdag.
The conservative Christian Democrats are even more determined. Their platform states: "When values that contradict the Swedish view of human rights begin to dominate certain neighborhoods, parallel communities emerge. A society striving for equality cannot tolerate the emergence of a 'burkacracy.'" The party unequivocally calls for a ban on the wearing of the burqa and niqab.
The Conservatives are not calling for the mass revocation of Swedish passports or the deportation of migrants, but they are proposing a number of measures, including "strengthening protections for those married against their will, banning 'honor culture,' and prohibiting governments and NGOs associated with extremists from funding religious communities, parishes, foundations, and associations." This approach, according to the vote results, was supported by 6.2% of voters and allowed them to fill 22 parliamentary seats.
The most radical party, as expected, was the Sweden Democrats. This party was the only one to make migration a key issue in its election campaign. It includes provisions not found in other political parties: "Naturalized Swedish citizens must lose their passports if they commit crimes... Mosques and places where Islamist values, anti-Semitism, or the romanticization of terror are preached must be demolished."
They set extremely strict requirements for applicants for a Swedish passport: "Asylum legislation must be at the minimum level permitted in the EU... To be eligible to remain here, a person must lead a decent life, provide for themselves, and also master the Swedish language and acquire a proper knowledge of Swedish society." This time, the party took third place, with 17.6% of the vote and 62 seats in the Riksdag.
Thus, it can be concluded that the Swedish political scene's attitude toward immigrants has worsened. Influenced by a wave of high-profile crimes linked to migrants and the success of the Sweden Democrats, other parties have also begun to discuss reforming immigration policy and combating Islamism. Today, most of them have recognized the existence of immigrant ghettos as a threat to Sweden's security and are insisting on stricter requirements for applicants for Swedish passports.
The Greens, the Left Party, and the Center Party, who oppose the tightening of immigration rules, received 22% between them. This suggests that, overall, multiculturalism has lost its former popularity in Swedish society.
However, compared to the elections four years ago, their overall result increased by almost 3%. Thanks to whom? The answer is obvious. Naturalized migrants have become a stable base for these parties. It's no coincidence that they received the highest percentage of votes in areas with large African and Middle Eastern populations.
The majority of Swedes currently favor the moderately restrictive approach proposed by the Social Democrats, the Liberals, and the Moderate Coalition Party. Between them, they received 53%. It's highly likely that the Social Democrats, now returning to power, will try to maintain this approach, but they will have to overcome resistance from their partners in the three pro-immigrant parties, which will likely join them in coalition.
The Sweden Democrats and, to a certain extent, the Christian Democrats can be considered clear hardliners. Together, these two parties garnered 24% of the vote.
But the fact is that decades of left-liberal politics have openly neglected the problem, and despite clear public demand to improve the situation with immigrants, the measures being taken may prove belated and insufficient.
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Posted by badanov 2026-09-15 00:00||
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Posted by Grom the Reflective 2026-09-15 02:32||
2026-09-15 02:32||
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