Sweden Democrat MP under fire after claiming Pride is linked to pedophilia
Multiple Swedish government ministers have spoken out against claims by Björn Söder, a senior Sweden Democrat MP, on Wednesday that the Pride movement has "close and legitimate" links to pedophilia.
"Björn Söder's tweet this evening is disrespectful, undignified and wrong," Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, from the Moderate Party, wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
"He owes an apology to everyone who he in a sweeping statement has accused of such awful things."
The Liberal Party leader and Employment Minister, Johan Pehrson, described Söder's comments as "drivel".
"Intolerance is un-Swedish," Pehrson wrote. "In my Sweden, all are allowed to love who they want and be who they want."
There are currently three parties in the Swedish government: the Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats. The Sweden Democrats are not in government, although the government is reliant on them for support and is governing on the Tidö Agreement, which was drawn up and presented by all four parties.
Märta Stenevi, joint leader of the Green Party, said it was "sickening" that Söder was "vomiting out lies about pride", and "hypocrisy on a bizarre scale" that the three parties in the government were now expressing their outrage."
Söder wrote on Wednesday evening that he defends the rights of homo- and bisexuals.
"But I will never defend Pride and it's close - and now legitimate - links to pedophilia and the involvement of children in the sexual world of adults," he added.
He has previously described "the gay lobby" as "sexual deviants", comparing homosexuality to bestiality and pedophilia in a now-deleted blog for the Sweden Democrats' member newsletter, SD-kuriren, written in 2007.
On Wednesday, Söder also accused parliamentary speaker Andreas Norlén, and prime minister Ulf Kristersson for legitimising pedophilia in a post on X, which he later deleted.
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"Björn Söder's tweet this evening is disrespectful, undignified and wrong," Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, from the Moderate Party, wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
"He owes an apology to everyone who he in a sweeping statement has accused of such awful things."
The Liberal Party leader and Employment Minister, Johan Pehrson, described Söder's comments as "drivel".
"Intolerance is un-Swedish," Pehrson wrote. "In my Sweden, all are allowed to love who they want and be who they want."
There are currently three parties in the Swedish government: the Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats. The Sweden Democrats are not in government, although the government is reliant on them for support and is governing on the Tidö Agreement, which was drawn up and presented by all four parties.
Märta Stenevi, joint leader of the Green Party, said it was "sickening" that Söder was "vomiting out lies about pride", and "hypocrisy on a bizarre scale" that the three parties in the government were now expressing their outrage."
Söder wrote on Wednesday evening that he defends the rights of homo- and bisexuals.
"But I will never defend Pride and it's close - and now legitimate - links to pedophilia and the involvement of children in the sexual world of adults," he added.
He has previously described "the gay lobby" as "sexual deviants", comparing homosexuality to bestiality and pedophilia in a now-deleted blog for the Sweden Democrats' member newsletter, SD-kuriren, written in 2007.
On Wednesday, Söder also accused parliamentary speaker Andreas Norlén, and prime minister Ulf Kristersson for legitimising pedophilia in a post on X, which he later deleted.
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