New 12 months, new Swedish management within the European Council. And in 2023 political pariahs, as soon as related to violent racists and swastika-wearing Nazi sympathisers, are dangerously near the helm.
Like many, I assumed that the Swedish Presidency could be a chance to make progress on among the EU’s most urgent challenges; local weather, refugee coverage, gender equality, rule of regulation and democracy. However my hopes have been dashed when it turned clear that Sweden would have a rightwing conservative authorities propped up by the far-right Sweden Democrats.
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MEP Malin Björk: ‘With no point out of LGBTI+ rights or feminism within the programme and with far-right local weather deniers whispering of their ears, many progressives are already writing Sweden’s rotating EU presidency off’ (Photograph: GUE/NGL)
Mainstream conservatives, who as soon as positioned themselves because the bulwark in opposition to right-wing extremism, have as a substitute joined forces in a determined try to achieve energy. Whereas the Sweden Democrats are usually not formally in authorities, they now yield appreciable affect over insurance policies that have an effect on us all.
This affect has already been made clear.
At a press convention in December, the migration minister Maria Malmer Stenergard introduced plans to make it simpler to revoke residence permits; at her facet stood Henrik Vinge the deputy chief of the Sweden Democrats.
“We are actually seeing a paradigm shift in Swedish refugee coverage”, the Sweden Democrats have proudly proclaimed.
The Swedish authorities additionally lately introduced that it’ll reduce the local weather and environmental price range by 58 p.c over three years and has dismantled the ministry for the surroundings, insurance policies clearly impressed by the climate-denying Sweden Democrats
Again in the true world, some worrying statistics present how far Sweden has drifted from being a rustic as soon as famed for its tolerance.
One-in-four youngsters from a migrant background is racially abused or attacked due to the color of their pores and skin, the place their mother and father are from, or for his or her faith. Afrophobia is now the most typical motive amongst reported hate crimes. Hardly stunning when high Sweden Democrat politicians are uncovered for sending racist photos and texts in personal messages about folks of color, Somalis, Muslims and the Holocaust.
Racism has been allowed to flourish each inside and outdoors the Riksdag.
On Tuesday (17January), within the European Parliament, the Swedish prime minister will define his imaginative and prescient for the EU over the subsequent six months.
My expertise in politics has taught me to pay attention out for what will not be being stated, quite than to what’s being stated. With no point out of LGBTI+ rights or feminism of their programme and with far-right local weather deniers whispering of their ears, many progressives are penning this council off and holding out for the Spanish presidency within the second half of the 12 months.
In Sweden, Italy, Poland, Hungary and France we’re seeing a sweeping normalisation of the far-right. Whereas the ‘cordon sanitaire’ used to forestall cooperation with the far-right, enablers from centre-right and liberal events in EU member states have lowered, stepped over or torn aside the cordon fully.
And from Fidesz in Hungary to PiS in Poland, as soon as in energy, these events search to dismantle democracy and the rule of regulation. Sweden Democrats, vocal admirers of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, aren’t any exception and have already made exceptional statements in opposition to Swedish public service media and court docket rulings.
However racist bluster and migrant scapegoating will solely go up to now.
Lots of the very actual challenges confronted by Europeans stem from many years of failed neoliberal insurance policies. Preventing local weather change and offering first rate housing, dwelling requirements and public providers are the core calls for of voters throughout the EU.
The Left is prepared. We’re used to standing as much as conservative, racist, misogynistic and anti-LGBTQI forces. And we do it in solidarity with these outdoors parliaments, far past the negotiating rooms, along with all these with visions, desires — and concrete alternate options — for an additional Sweden and a greater Europe.
