A new Swedish law, passed on Wednesday, means that migrants will soon have to meet stricter—though still fairly basic—requirements to gain citizenship.
Sweden Democrats (SD) politicians have been instrumental in helping push the law through, ensuring that it received enough votes in the Riksdag. Party MP Ludvig Aspling on Wednesday evening celebrated that this has prevented around 100,000 migrants—“many of whom cannot speak a single word of Swedish, have never worked, and do not even have a basic understanding of what Sweden is”—from gaining citizenship.
But other parties are demanding that the vote be re-run, and accuse SD of “manipulation” because two of its MPs voted despite being registered as absent under parliament’s ‘set-off’ system. This system says members should abstain to compensate when MPs from other parties are absent or ill.
SD group leader Linda Lindberg justified the decision to break from this tradition, insisting that “important legislation must take precedence over the influence of … the system of set-offs.”
And former MP Jeff Ahl said the Right must “refuse to play the liberals’ game. Do what it takes.”
The citizenship requirements include the ability to speak Swedish, an “understanding of how Sweden works,” minimum monthly earnings of SEK 20,000 (€1,880), and a residency in Sweden of eight years (up from five).
SD hailed its success as “one of the single most important votes throughout this entire term.” Swedish writer Ramona Fransson responded to criticism of the process by saying, “It is absolutely scandalous that all opposition parties voted AGAINST imposing tough requirements to become a Swedish citizen,” describing this as “a gigantic betrayal of Sweden.”
Provided that leftists don’t block the new law, these requirements will take effect on June 6th.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
