How Sweden’s far right went from political pariah to powerbroker
Key takeaways
- Once shunned by every major party, the Sweden Democrats have gone from political pariah to the heart of government.
- In a country shaped by long, dark winters, the image speaks for itself.
- A decade ago, the Sweden Democrats (SD), a far-right anti-immigration party with roots in Sweden’s neo-Nazi movement, were firmly shut out in the cold.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Once shunned by every major party, the Sweden Democrats have gone from political pariah to the heart of government.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats Jimmie Akesson celebrates after the 2018 general election [File: Michael Campanella/Getty]By Nils Adler Published On 18 Jun 202618 Jun 2026There is an expression in Swedish, “to be let into the warmth” – meaning to be welcomed into the fold. In a country shaped by long, dark winters, the image speaks for itself.
A decade ago, the Sweden Democrats (SD), a far-right anti-immigration party with roots in Sweden’s neo-Nazi movement, were firmly shut out in the cold.