The proposal was for the government to produce a bill expanding family immigration so that it would apply to children of permanent residents of Sweden up to 21 years of age, instead of the current limit of 18. It would have also reintroduced the humanitarian protection ground of "particularly distressing circumstances".
The governing coalition parties (the Moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats, and the Liberals) all voted against the proposal, as did leading opposition party the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterna). The Centre party joined the Green Party (Miljöpartiet) and the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) in supporting the proposal.
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"The Social Democrats and the Liberals have lied to the Swedish people and said that they want to stop the deportations," said the Left Party's migration policy spokesman Tony Haddou.
The Social Democrats submitted their own proposal, which was for the government to instruct the Migration Agency to freeze all cases involving teenage deportations. That proposal was also rejected.
The government says it is currently reviewing the legislation to find a solution.
"We are currently preparing a proposal in the government and we do not intend to join any political game that the Left Party and the Green Party are playing, wanting to kick open doors to score cheap political points," said Moderate Viktor Wärnick, chairman of the committee.
According to Wärnick, the joint proposal would not have meant a quick end to teenage expulsions, since it also required a change in the law that would need to be prepared.
After the committee meeting, the Left Party's immigration spokesperson Tony Haddou said he was disappointed with the Social Democrats and Liberals.
"The Social Democrats and Liberals have lied to the Swedish people straight to their faces for two weeks, saying they want to stop the teenage expulsions. When they have the chance, they choose not to vote for the proposal."
The Centre Party’s immigration policy spokesperson Niels Paarup-Petersen said in advance of the parliamentary meeting that the Social Democrats are “stupid” if they didn't vote in favour of the proposal. He later said he thinks the outcome of the vote is sad.
"The Social Democrats want to pause [the deportations], they don’t want to stop them. We want to stop this shit. There are a lot of parties that say that but when there is an opportunity, they drop out. It’s not serious."
The Social Democrats’ immigration policy spokesperson Ida Karkiainen did not appreciate the words from the Left Party.
"I am very disappointed in the Left Party, in how they are handling this issue and playing a political game rather than wanting to really solve it. Tony Haddou knows very well that we see the problem, and want to solve this issue."
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