Swedish parties make deal to govern with hard-right support
Source: Asssociated Press
Three Swedish center-right parties on Friday agreed to form a coalition government with the support of the Sweden Democrats, a once radical far-right group that has moved toward the mainstream but retains a hard line on immigration.
The agreement comes after a month of talks following Sept. 11 elections that gave the Sweden Democrats an unprecedented position of influence in Swedish politics with over 20% of the vote.
Conservative Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson said his party would form a center-right coalition government with the Liberals and the Christian Democrats, but remain in “close collaboration” with the Sweden Democrats. The center-right coalition depends on the support of the Sweden Democrats to secure a majority in Parliament, putting the party in a position to influence government policy from the sidelines even without Cabinet seats.
The party was founded in the 1980s by people who had been active in right-wing extremist groups, including neo-Nazis. They toned down their rhetoric and expelled openly racist members under Jimmie Akesson, who took over the party in 2005. Since then they have grown from a marginal movement with less than 2% support to become Sweden’s second biggest party.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/elections-immigration-migration-sweden-87f12257e2a879c000e54363e5fb2418
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