As a correspondent from Sweden in the US, I have often prepared myself for drastic societal changes upon returning home, only to find that things remain the same. Drivers still adhere to the government’s recommendations for safe distances between cars, and the political discourse is typically boring. However, in recent years, there has been a genuine shift. The political discourse has become aggressive, focused on culture wars, and constantly outraged. Gun violence and gang crime are at record levels, fueling fear and a blame game over immigration policies. Nationalist and far-right groups in Sweden have dehumanized immigrants for years, but now their attacks have expanded to include LGBTQ+ people, journalists, scientists, and more. Björn Söder, a member of parliament for the far-right Sweden Democrats, recently attacked the Stockholm Pride festival and accused the prime minister of “legitimizing pedophilia.” These far-right groups and their attacks are not marginal figures in Swedish politics. They hold significant power and influence. Swedish conservatives have traditionally looked towards the US for inspiration on economic policies and free-market ideas. However, after Donald Trump’s election, they began to learn from the Trump movement and adopt his style. The shift in public opinion towards migration and the desire for an end to privatization in healthcare and social services has also given conservative tacticians an opportunity to exploit fears about “Swedish values” under threat. The rightwing coalition believes they can win by focusing on migration and identity, while the center-left opposition is trying to shift the conversation back to the economy and welfare state. However, their silence on migration allows the far right’s fearmongering narratives to flourish. The Social Democrats’ attempts to “neutralize” the far right by supporting stricter border controls have only shifted the immigration debate further to the right. There are indications that the combined right may have overreached, as a grassroots protest movement has emerged against certain policies.
