Immigration cut push from Sweden Democrats
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
Published: 5 Sep, 2014 CET.
Updated: Fri 5 Sep 2014 16:16 CET
In Sweden there is only one party that is openly critical of the country's high immigration levels - the nationalist Sweden Democrats.
After getting 5.7 percent of the vote and scoring its first 20 seats in the Swedish parliament in 2010, the party repeated its success in elections to the European Parliament in May 2014, securing two spots in Brussels. Led by Jimmie Åkesson, 35, who joined the party's youth wing as a teenager, the group is focused on attracting first-time voters. The party's main goals are to create a "responsible immigration policy, to take vigorous action against crime and ensure that older people have a safe and dignified old age," according to its website. The Sweden Democrats have frequently accused both the governing Alliance and the other main opposition parties of "irresponsible" spending plans that they say focus too much on helping immigrants instead of Swedish nationals. Here is The Local's guide to the party's main policies: Immigration - Greatly restrict immigration and use the money saved to boost elderly care and crack down on crime
- Give those who have already moved here "more opportunity" to adapt to Swedish society by adopting Swedish culture and values
- Tougher language and knowledge tests for people seeking citizenship, with applications only granted to those with "impeccable character".
- Expand Sweden's support for the UN's refugee agency and spend more money helping refugees from developing countries
Health and elderly care - More hospital beds
- More places in elderly care homes with better conditions
- Ban free medical and dental care for illegal immigrants
- Boost care for terminally ill children
- Cut taxes for pensioners
Crime
- Strengthen punishments for serious and repeat offenders
- Cut paperwork for police officers
- Award higher damages to victims of crime
Welfare
- Increase maternity pay to give more women the choice to stay at home with their children
- Make family counselling free in all municipalities
- More funding for late-night childcare for single parents
- Make unemployment insurance compulsory and free
- Unemployment benefits should be highest during first three months and then gradually cut
Education
- Re-nationalize all Swedish schools
- Boost grants designed to help schools in need of refurbishment
- Increase adult staff numbers in schools to help tackle mental illness among children and help teachers spend less time on administration
Business
- Abolish payroll tax for small businesses with up to nine employees
- Reduced sick pay liability for all companies
Gender equality
- Improve working conditions in the women-dominated public sector
- End positive discrimination policies based on race or gender
- Review custody legislation to make it less discriminatory against men
Transport and infrastructure
- Focus on boosting transport links between Nordic countries
- Increase student housing
- Invest in the forestry sector and other key rural projects
- Protect small-scale farming
Defence
- Boost national defence spending so Sweden can protect itself from any attack
- Against Sweden joining Nato
Foreign policy
- Call a referendum on Sweden's membership of the EU
- Boost support for Christians who are persecuted because of their faith in different parts of the world
- "Discourage Islamism" and totalitarian regimes
- Closer Nordic co-operation in all areas of society
Comments
See Also
After getting 5.7 percent of the vote and scoring its first 20 seats in the Swedish parliament in 2010, the party repeated its success in elections to the European Parliament in May 2014, securing two spots in Brussels.
Led by Jimmie Åkesson, 35, who joined the party's youth wing as a teenager, the group is focused on attracting first-time voters.
The party's main goals are to create a "responsible immigration policy, to take vigorous action against crime and ensure that older people have a safe and dignified old age," according to its website.
The Sweden Democrats have frequently accused both the governing Alliance and the other main opposition parties of "irresponsible" spending plans that they say focus too much on helping immigrants instead of Swedish nationals.
Here is The Local's guide to the party's main policies:
Immigration
- Greatly restrict immigration and use the money saved to boost elderly care and crack down on crime
- Give those who have already moved here "more opportunity" to adapt to Swedish society by adopting Swedish culture and values
- Tougher language and knowledge tests for people seeking citizenship, with applications only granted to those with "impeccable character".
- Expand Sweden's support for the UN's refugee agency and spend more money helping refugees from developing countries
Health and elderly care
- More hospital beds
- More places in elderly care homes with better conditions
- Ban free medical and dental care for illegal immigrants
- Boost care for terminally ill children
- Cut taxes for pensioners
Crime
- Strengthen punishments for serious and repeat offenders
- Cut paperwork for police officers
- Award higher damages to victims of crime
Welfare
- Increase maternity pay to give more women the choice to stay at home with their children
- Make family counselling free in all municipalities
- More funding for late-night childcare for single parents
- Make unemployment insurance compulsory and free
- Unemployment benefits should be highest during first three months and then gradually cut
Education
- Re-nationalize all Swedish schools
- Boost grants designed to help schools in need of refurbishment
- Increase adult staff numbers in schools to help tackle mental illness among children and help teachers spend less time on administration
Business
- Abolish payroll tax for small businesses with up to nine employees
- Reduced sick pay liability for all companies
Gender equality
- Improve working conditions in the women-dominated public sector
- End positive discrimination policies based on race or gender
- Review custody legislation to make it less discriminatory against men
Transport and infrastructure
- Focus on boosting transport links between Nordic countries
- Increase student housing
- Invest in the forestry sector and other key rural projects
- Protect small-scale farming
Defence
- Boost national defence spending so Sweden can protect itself from any attack
- Against Sweden joining Nato
Foreign policy
- Call a referendum on Sweden's membership of the EU
- Boost support for Christians who are persecuted because of their faith in different parts of the world
- "Discourage Islamism" and totalitarian regimes
- Closer Nordic co-operation in all areas of society
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.