Violent migration dispute on Sweden's TV - gang expert attests "catastrophe", but tears up new plans

Created: 2022-12-11, 10:26 p.m

By: Florian Naumann

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson before the TV debate on Sunday evening.

© IMAGO/Jonas Ekstromer/TT

New government, old problems: Sweden is still concerned about gang killings.

In a TV debate, shreds fly.

An expert previously attested problems.

Stockholm – Sweden has a new right-wing government.

One of their core concerns, also in view of a country shaken by gang crime: a new migration policy.

A good two months after the election, the dispute is big.

In a TV debate on the public broadcaster SVT on Sunday evening, shreds flew – also in relation to the flight from Ukraine.

The opposition accused the government of throwing “humanity” overboard.

Although Sweden is considered to be extremely peaceful in Germany, it has been struggling with criminal gangs for years - the problem was the main topic in the election campaign.

The gang network is complex.

In 2020, crime reporter Lasse Wierup estimated in his book "Gangsterparadiset" (The Gangster's Paradise) that there are at least 350 criminal networks in the country, from rockers to ethnically related gangs to locally active networks that, among other things, seek to influence the drug market wrestle.

A "gang expert" from the Swedish police attested on Sunday that the situation was "catastrophic".

At the same time, however, he also seriously doubted the new goals of the new conservative head of government, Ulf Kristersson.

Sweden in a fierce migration dispute: "catastrophic situation" - and "short-sighted" reaction?

"60 people murdered in criminal milieus is a horrific number," police officer Gunnar Appelgren told SVT before Sunday's debate.

"In 10 years, the level has gone from a few people a year to 60 - and the year isn't even over yet," he warned.

Appelgren called for better legal prosecution of capital crimes.

But also better preventive measures.

In this respect, the government tolerated by the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats is taking the wrong path.

Harsh penalties alone are not enough, he emphasized: just 20 to 25 percent of murders in Sweden result in a conviction, the expert told the broadcaster.

And it is still allowed that there are young men who are "ready to kill someone in order to be someone themselves" - i.e. to rise in the criminal hierarchy by killing.

"There is a political short-sightedness here," Appelgren said.

Prevention from an early age and “powerful” help for dysfunctional families and neighborhoods are necessary.

In addition to stricter migration rules, the new government is also planning savings in pre-schools and social services.

Migration in Sweden: "There are young people who are made suspicious"

The interview paved the way for the first major Swedish TV debate since the election.

And indeed there were harsh words.

The main point of contention was not even the question of whether further immigration should be reduced - very similar to neighboring Denmark.

"We will never get a grip on integration if we don't limit immigration," said Kristersson.

His Social Democratic predecessor, Magdalena Andersson, attributed this “turnaround” to her party – but criticized the government's future plans.

She complained that there was a lack of integration opportunities, for example in the labor market.

At the same time, countless people feared for their whereabouts in Sweden.

Andersson received support from Green Party spokesman Per Bolund.

"There are young people growing up in Sweden who are suspected, not because of what they do, but because of where they come from," he explained.

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Stress in the TV studio: During the Swedish "party leader debate" on the subject of migration, shreds flew.

© IMAGO/Jonas Ekstromer/TT

The background to the dispute is the so-called "Tidö Agreement": At Tidö Castle near Stockholm, the "right-wing bloc" had agreed with the Sweden Democrats on stipulations for tolerating the minority government.

Among other things, it provides for the possibility of asylum to be reduced to the minimum permissible in the EU.

At the same time, there should be new options for re-expulsion and higher hurdles for naturalization.

Sweden and the Ukraine war: Debate on slowing down migration "passé"?

“What you are doing is ticking off the policy of the Sweden Democrats point by point and lashing out at people who have received asylum and permanent residence permits and are doing their duties,” reprimanded the outgoing leader of the Christian Democratic Center Party, Annie Lööf.

The Sweden Democrats are not part of the government, but had set tough conditions to help the alliance into office.

Lööf's first interlocutor in the TV round, the liberal Johan Person, defended the government's course.

Newcomers need the opportunity to integrate.

That has been lacking in recent years.

That is why his party is now in favor of stricter regulations.

The left-wing party leader Nooshi Dadgostar assessed the dispute coolly in view of the Ukraine war: the debate about reducing immigration numbers is "passé".

"It's war in Europe.

Millions of people are fleeing the murderous regime in Russia.

And we all parties agree that we have to take them in, because otherwise they will die," she stressed.

It doesn't help integration if these and other people are denied language courses and schooling.

Kristersson answered evasively: In any case, Sweden could no longer be the country that takes in twice as many refugees as the other Scandinavian countries.

But he had a tough counterattack ready in the direction of the left: "It's pretty strong stuff that the only party that voted against arms deliveries to Ukraine in the Riksdag is now standing here and talking about help for Ukraine," he teased.

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