Sweden is temporarily ramping up security measures following a series of protests in which the Quran, the Islamic holy book, was burned, torn, and stamped upon. The protests were held by two men from Iraq, one of whom currently holds refugee status in Sweden.
Sweden used to be seen as one of Europe's most welcoming countries for refugees. However, a right-wing conservative government coalition propped up by a far-right party is changing Sweden's migration policy and hardening its stance towards migrants and asylum seekers.
The nationalist Sweden Democrats party, lead by Jimmy Akesson, gained around 20% of the vote in Sweden's national elections held Sunday. The reason for this success is largely attributed to Akesson's appeal with an electorate that is disillusioned by the country's traditional parties and considerably less tolerant toward migrants.
Sweden’s far-right and anti-immigrant party, the Sweden Democrats, scored high in the country’s recent elections, massively increasing its influence. This stands in sharp contrast to the fact that Sweden stood at the forefront of helping refugees during the 2015 migrant crisis. Here is a brief history of Sweden's generous immigration and asylum policies.
Support for the far-right Sweden Democrats has surged as the country prepares to go to the polls in September. Following the election of populist anti-immigration leaders across much of Europe, the Scandinavian nation once seen as a champion of humanitarian values is becoming increasingly divided.