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Monday, October 6, 2025

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/israel-sweden-democrats-must-apologise-for-the-holocaust/

Sweden

Israel: Sweden Democrats must apologise for the Holocaust

Published 12 November 2024
– By Editorial Staff
The picture shows SD's Alexander Christiansson kneeling in front of laughing Jewish settlers in May this year. On the right is Israel's ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kulman.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Israel is now demanding that the Sweden Democrats (SD) apologise for the party’s ‘historical links to anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial’.

The demand was made by Israel’s ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kulman, who believes that such an apology is an important gesture to promote reconciliation and a prerequisite for a more open dialogue between the Sweden Democrats and the Jewish state.

In an interview with Schibsted-owned Aftonbladet’s political editor Anders Lindberg, Israel’s ambassador Kulman clarifies that Tel Aviv’s official stance on the Sweden Democrats remains unchanged: the Israeli government will have no cooperation whatsoever with the anti-immigration Swedish party.

In the interview, the ambassador says that while the Sweden Democrats have repeatedly shown their support for Israel on issues related to the Middle East conflict, concerns remain about the party’s background.

According to Kulman, an official apology from the SD would show “a willingness to acknowledge historical mistakes”.

– Our policy towards far-right parties with Nazi roots has not changed, he says.

The Sweden Democrats have long worked to distance themselves from their alleged anti-Semitic history, and the party now has a number of representatives who are very vocal in their support for Israel and the Jewish diaspora at every opportunity.

This was particularly evident in May 2024, when the party’s Alexander Christiansson knelt down in front of a group of Jewish settlers at the annual Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast event.

“Must fight antisemitism”

The Israeli side stresses that its relations with the SD will remain reserved until an apology and concrete measures are taken.

– But (the SD) definitely needs to do a lot of soul-searching about its own past. They need to apologise for everything they did, to the victims of the Holocaust and to the memory of the Holocaust, and they definitely need to think about a future where they do more to fight anti-Semitism. It’s a long process, says Kulman.

Israel’s demands have provoked reactions in Swedish politics, not least from representatives of the Sweden Democrats themselves. The party’s MP, Josef Fransson, was highly critical in a post on X.

English translation of above tweet: But what is this nonsense? Is it the SD as a legal entity that should apologise for what a minority of members thought or did 30 years ago? Because if it is the legal entity that should apologise, it might be worth pointing out that there never was one…

Several opinion leaders have raised the question of whether a modern political party should have to answer for its history when the party has explicitly distanced itself from past positions and is actively working for a different agenda today.

The leadership of the Sweden Democrats has not yet responded directly to this demand, but the party has on several occasions emphasised its support for Israel and its wars in the region.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-police-children-killed-while-carrying-out-bombings-for-criminals/

Sweden

Swedish Police: Children killed while carrying out bombings for criminals

Deteriorating safety

Published 2 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Police urge parents to be present in their children's lives - both physically and digitally.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The number of bomb attacks in Sweden has increased dramatically – and increasingly, children are being exploited by criminal networks to carry them out.

Swedish police are now sounding the alarm after several young people have been injured and at least one killed while handling hand grenades and explosive charges.

The increase is dramatic. Up to August this year, 119 detonations have occurred in Sweden, compared to 76 during the same period last year, and increasingly it is children and teenagers who are carrying out bombing and arson attacks for gang criminal clients.

There are several documented cases where young people have been seriously injured, and at least one death has occurred when young people have handled explosives and flammable liquids.

— Handling flammable liquids and explosives can be deadly or cause, for example, serious burns, hearing damage or blown-off hands, emphasizes Dan Windt, operational coordinator at the Swedish police’s national operations center.

Hand grenades at preschools

Due to the ruthless exploitation, the Swedish Police Authority has launched a social media campaign targeting young people. The message is clear: never take assignments from criminals and never handle explosives – it is life-threatening. Police also urge parents to be vigilant and recognize warning signs.

— Parents and other important adults need to continue being present in children’s lives both physically and digitally. Ask lots of questions and ask for help. Contact social services in your municipality if the child is contacted by criminals, or alert police at such an early stage if you suspect your child is about to commit a crime, so we can prevent it together, Windt continues.

Many of the bombings have been carried out with smuggled hand grenades used for both revenge and extortion. On several occasions, unexploded hand grenades have been found in residential areas – even at or near preschools.

— An explosive charge or hand grenade can look many different ways. If you discover a suspected dangerous object, you should under no circumstances touch the object, keep a safe distance, warn others and alert police by calling 112, Dan Windt concludes.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/more-young-swedes-skeptical-of-democracy/

Sweden

More young Swedes skeptical of democracy

Published 2 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Not even one in four young Swedes believe they have the opportunity to influence society.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Fewer young people believe that democracy is the best way to govern a society, according to a new report from Ungdomsbarometern (Youth Barometer), a Swedish research organization. At the same time, trust in Sweden’s politicians is declining.

This year, 79 percent of young people see democracy as the best alternative for governance, compared to 88 percent in 2021. This development coincides with increased distrust of politicians – 45 percent of young people don’t believe they can solve the problems that exist in Sweden.

Meanwhile, six out of ten young people express increased concern that democracy in Sweden will be weakened.

— When young people look ahead, they do so in a time marked by crises and uncertainty. If you don’t believe that democracy has the power to solve major societal problems, it also becomes harder to feel that your own voice makes a difference, says Ulrik Hoffman, society and skills supply expert at Ungdomsbarometern, in a press release.

Less influence

In 2019, 52 percent of young people believed they had the opportunity to influence society, but now that figure has dropped to 23 percent. Fewer also identify with political identities, such as feminist or anti-racist. Concerns about war, crime and the economy have also increased markedly.

— More young people feel that the issues that worry them today are things they themselves have little power over, says Johanna Göransson, lifestyle and consumption expert at Ungdomsbarometern.

The study, which is conducted annually, is based on responses from 1,450 young people aged 15-24.

It should be noted that Ungdomsbarometern does not clearly define what is meant by democracy in the survey. In Sweden, the term usually refers to parliamentary democracy and the current political system with relatively free elections, separation of powers and protection of certain fundamental rights.

However, some political activists frequently argue that democracy is not just a form of government but also includes specific values within areas such as gender equality, “anti-racism” or climate policy – making democracy synonymous with a particular political agenda rather than a system of governance.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/sweden-invests-billions-in-roads-and-railways-will-take-25-years-to-catch-up/

Sweden

Sweden invests billions in roads and railways – will take 25 years to catch up

Published 1 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Decades of deferred maintenance are now to be addressed on both roads and railways.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Over 100 billion euros will go to maintenance and upgrading of Swedish roads, railways, as well as maritime and aviation infrastructure, according to the Swedish Transport Administration’s national plan for transport infrastructure.

At the same time, the agency announces that it will take 25 years to catch up with railway maintenance – and that several planned investments will be scrapped.

It was last autumn that the Swedish government decided to upgrade Sweden’s infrastructure with the aim of, among other things, creating better conditions for efficient and sustainable transport. On Tuesday, the Swedish Transport Administration presented its proposals on how the money should be used.

A total of 100 billion euros will be divided up, with half of the money going to maintenance and half to development of new infrastructure.

The plan is to, among other things, catch up with deferred maintenance on both roads and railways. The forecast for when they will be caught up with the work is estimated to be 2037 for roads and 2050 for railways.

— It’s possible to do it faster, but then we can’t allow as much train traffic as we do today, says the Swedish Transport Administration’s Director-General Roberto Maiorana to public broadcaster SVT.

“Travel will become more efficient”

There will also be quite a few investments made to meet “Sweden’s future needs for efficient, sustainable and robust transport”. Furthermore, they will also scrap certain projects that have been active, including the expansion of double tracks in Maria–Helsingborg as well as Gävle–Kringlan, which are considered too expensive. This is being done to free up money for other projects that they consider to have greater benefit.

— Much of this plan is about better conditions for commuting, a more competitive business sector and strong total defense. Travel and transport will become more reliable, efficient and safer, says Maiorana.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-government-opens-wallet-to-combat-racism/

Sweden

Swedish government opens wallet to combat “racism”

Published 25 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
"Racism is a threat to our entire democracy", says Swedish Gender Equality Minister Nina Larsson of the Liberal Party.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Swedish government is now allocating an additional €900,000 to long-term work against “racism, antisemitism, antiziganism, anti-Muslim and anti-Black racism as well as discrimination against the Sami people”.

The initiative builds on the national action plan that the government has used for several years to combat alleged discrimination and prejudice.

The measures will continue to be implemented within schools, working life, welfare and the justice system and will be coordinated by, among others, the Forum for Living History (a Swedish government agency). The goal is to combat everything from “hate crimes” to subtle prejudices, and the efforts are to continue at least until 2029.

— Racism is not just an attack on the individual person – it is a threat to our entire democracy. We can never accept that people’s rights and life chances are limited by prejudice and discrimination. That is why we are now taking a long-term approach to the work against racism. It requires perseverance, continuity and political will – and that is exactly what we are delivering, says Swedish Gender Equality Minister Nina Larsson (L).

Critics point out, however, that Sweden according to several international comparisons is among the world’s least racism-affected countries and that the problems often exist on the margins.

Symbolic action or real change?

Current and previous Swedish governments’ recurring focus on the “fight against racism” can be perceived as disproportionate, and some question whether the resources are being used effectively, or whether it is more about a political symbolic action.

At the same time, there are studies that indicate that certain groups, for example Afro-Swedes, face discrimination within important areas of society. It is a balancing act between acknowledging real problems and avoiding magnifying them into general societal crises.

The Swedish government repeatedly emphasizes that racism is “a threat to the entire democracy”, and that a sustained, long-term approach is therefore required.

In comment sections and on social media, however, many Swedes wonder when the “fight against racism” transitions into becoming a routine and unjustified political doctrine in a society that is already ranked among the most tolerant and welcoming in the world.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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