'Swexit' on agenda as Swedish nationalists call for EU divorce ahead of election

A Swedish nationalist party with roots in neo-Nazi movements is set to bring the once-unthinkable idea of leaving the EU onto the country's agenda, as polls suggest it could win up to a quarter of the vote in elections this weekend. Sweden Democrats, which blames migrants and refugees for a recent rise in rapes, gun crime and riots, is projected to make unprecedented gains in traditionally liberal Sweden. Alongside a two-year ban on asylum seekers and major public spending increases on welfare, the party has vowed to deliver a David Cameron-style renegotiation of the country's relationship with the EU, followed by a referendum.

The radical right wing party's popularity has soared due to its hardline response to the 2015 refugee crisis, which saw Sweden accept more refugees per capita than any other European country. It hopes to form a coalition government with the country's centre-right parties following Sunday's vote. A recent investigation by state broadcaster STV, which found that 58 per cent of rapes in the past five years were committed by foreigners, has also seen voters who would usually ignore the party support them. Experts predict the vote will drastically change the face of Swedish politics, unseating the country's centre-left prime minister, Stefan Lofven, and bringing the fringe issue of EU membership to the fore.

Experts predicts that Mr Lofven's ruling Social Democrats party will suffer heavy losses in Sunday's election and fail to form a government, while the centre-right Alliance bloc may also fall short of a majority. Though all mainstream parties have refused to join forces with the Sweden Democrats, citing its former links to neo-Nazi groups, they may have no other option if the nationalists performs as strongly as projected. In an attempt to clean up its image, the group has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on racism, swapped its National Front-inspired logo for a blue and yellow flower and strongly rejected the labels "far-Right" and "populist," instead branding itself as a nationalist Conservative movement.

Senior members of the party told The Telegraph that Sweden should follow Britain out of the European Union so it can regain full control of its borders and stop accepting refugees from the Middle East. Mattias Karlsson, the leader of the Sweden Democrats' parliamentary group in the Riksdag, called for Sweden to be exempted from the EU's refugee policies and the Schengen zone, which eliminates passport checks at the borders of 26 EU countries. "That is step one," he told The Telegraph, adding that Swedes should also be allowed to create their own laws rather than accept decisions made in Brussels, adding that it "goes against the whole idea of bureaucracy."

"We are not focusing on it during the campaign as that is all about immigration, but after the election we would want to do it like the British did - renegotiate with the EU and then hold a referendum," he said.

Meanwhile Jimmie Akesson, the group's 39-year-old leader, has said he "sees nothing negative about leaving this supranational European Union."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/07/swexit-back-agenda-swedish-nationalists-call-border-shutdown/

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This is the cause and effect of the stupid leftist agenda. If you push reasonable people, they will push to the right

Welcome to the new world of identity politics, created by the left. Where the world is going to be more and more divided

I see conflict within Europe within the next 10 years

People like me stand against identity politics and have to stand up to both sides of the right and the lefts identity politics

Didge wrote:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/07/swexit-back-agenda-swedish-nationalists-call-border-shutdown/

More to read on the link

This is the cause and effect of the stupid leftist agenda. If you push reasonable people, they will push to the right

Welcome to the new world of identity politics, created by the left. Where the world is going to be more and more divided

I see conflict within Europe within the next 10 years

People like me stand against identity politics and have to stand up to both sides of the right and the lefts identity politics

with you there, didge. This is exactly the sort of situation that Douglas Murray and others have been warning about for some time. Furthermore, I read somewhere that AfD have now jumped into the lead to be the biggest party over in Germany,,,,,,now that's gonna be very interesting too.

Hungary and Poland still kicking back and now Italy as well.

10 years you say? It's already here imo, and can only get worse before it gets any better

gelico wrote:

Didge wrote:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/07/swexit-back-agenda-swedish-nationalists-call-border-shutdown/

More to read on the link

This is the cause and effect of the stupid leftist agenda. If you push reasonable people, they will push to the right

Welcome to the new world of identity politics, created by the left. Where the world is going to be more and more divided

I see conflict within Europe within the next 10 years

People like me stand against identity politics and have to stand up to both sides of the right and the lefts identity politics

with you there, didge.  This is exactly the sort of situation that Douglas Murray and others have been warning about for some time.  Furthermore, I read somewhere that AfD have now jumped into the lead to be the biggest party over in Germany,,,,,,now that's gonna be very interesting too.

Hungary and Poland still kicking back and now Italy as well.

10 years you say?  It's already here imo, and can only get worse before it gets any better

I could be wrong and its starts sooner Gelico

I really think its going to get messy

They have been warning, as have you about this

Who would have thought that the icon of socialists in Europe is turning to the right in Sweden?

Would be scary if that happens in Germany

I see many violent riots ahead and sadly people losing their lives