During the first six months of 2023, Sweden holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This means that Sweden leads the work in the EU’s most powerful institution.

📖Read @MalinBjork_EU on the Europe-wide risk of the Sweden Democrats.

'With no mention of LGBTI+ rights or feminism & with far-right climate deniers whispering in their ears, many progressives are already writing Sweden's rotating EU presidency off.'

https://t.co/y7zZ8wpp1B

— The Left in the European Parliament (@Left_EU) January 13, 2023

The problem? This Swedish government is in office thanks to the far-right Sweden Democrats, a party that is rooted in neo-nazism and admires Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. Political figures associated with violent racism are now setting the EU agenda and in a position to push their far-right agenda on policies that affect us all. 

Vowing not to give in, Left Co-President @ManonAubryFr lashes out at @RenewEurope & @EPPGroup for facilitating a trivialisation of the extreme-right in 🇸🇪 & throughout 🇪🇺.

“You can't play with the extreme-right – because when they take power, they refuse to relinquish it.” pic.twitter.com/xhR2d8lelD

— The Left in the European Parliament (@Left_EU) January 17, 2023

“It is a horrible situation for my country in so many ways, and I can only encourage other member states to put pressure on Sweden so that we, over the next six months, can still make the necessary progress on EU climate policy, manage the shift away from Putin’s bloody fossil fuels, and safeguard international law in EU asylum and migration policies” says Swedish Left party MEP Malin Bjork.

The Left stands ready to hold these people to account and to stand up against racist, misogynistic and anti-LGBTQI forces, both inside and outside political institutions, together with our allies in communities and on the streets.