Sweden faces a pivotal general election with polls indicating the centre-left opposition holds a narrow lead over the right-leaning coalition currently in government, which has received support from the far-right Sweden Democrats. The outcome carries significance beyond Sweden, potentially signaling whether far-right movements across Europe are experiencing inevitable growth or facing electoral setbacks.
During the current administration led by centre-right Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, the Sweden Democrats have leveraged their coalition position to influence migration and crime policies while deploying rhetoric that links the two issues and attributes societal problems to migrants, Muslims, and other minority groups. Observers note that this shift has reshaped national political discourse, with even traditionally left-leaning parties adopting tougher stances on migration issues. In response to anti-Islam sentiment, Swedish-born imam Kashif Virk launched the Ask-a-Muslim campaign in 2017, bringing volunteers to public spaces across the country to facilitate conversations aimed at countering misconceptions about Islam.
Communities targeted by far-right rhetoric report experiencing tangible effects on daily life and long-term planning. Muslim women describe feeling dehumanized when their religion and religious dress become subjects of political discourse. Immigrant residents express concerns about their security and future in the country, with some reconsidering whether to invest in permanent residency. A series of incidents including a mass shooting in Örebro that killed ten people with immigrant backgrounds, mosque vandalizations, and protests involving damage to Qur’an copies underscore the climate some minorities perceive.
Organizations that emerged to welcome asylum seekers during the 2015 refugee influx have witnessed dramatic changes in their operating environment. Where approximately 1,700 volunteers spontaneously gathered to assist arriving Syrian and Afghan seekers a decade ago, policy has since shifted substantially—refugee quotas declining from 5,000 to 900 annually, and residency permits becoming subject to revocation under criteria such as undefined “bad behaviour.” Activists working with refugee integration initiatives report reduced funding and diminished public influence as policy positions once considered extreme have entered mainstream political discourse.
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