In Sweden, the consequences of the policy of opening up to mass migration from Africa and the Middle East cannot be hidden, with the current government taking moderate steps to improve the situation. This is part of an agreement with the Sweden Democrats, a party opposed to destructive migration policies, writes Do Rzeczy.
Over the past 20 years, the number of people born abroad has doubled from 1 million to 2 million, and the country’s population has grown to over 10 million. In 2015, Sweden accepted a record number of so-called asylum applications, 162,000, mainly from culturally foreign countries, such as Afghanistan and Syria. In time, the government decided to reinstate border controls, and is wondering how to “regulate migration.”
The scale of the influx of immigrants to Sweden was limited during the term of office of Malmer Stenergard from the Moderate Party coalition of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who served as migration minister from 2022 to 2024. Since 2024, she has headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In an interview for the newspaper “Dagens Nyheter,” Stenergard admitted that as a result of mass immigration and poor integration in the country, the phenomena of welfare dependency, radicalization, and organized crime have appeared.
The head of Swedish diplomacy did not hide the fact that “there is a difference in terms of which countries immigrants come from.” When large groups of workers from neighboring Finland arrived in the peaceful Scandinavian country in the 1970s, it brought good results. The Finns quickly filled the job market and did not pose a threat to security. “They are similar to us and quickly blend into society, and it is similar now in the case of Ukrainians,” she said, adding that it is completely different “accepting such people versus immigrants from other regions,” the minister said.
Stenergard spoke, without any regard for being politically correct, about those migrant groups causing trouble. She admitted that in the case of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa, “we are dealing with lower education and a completely different cultural background.”
“Many of these countries have a different society and different ways of resolving conflicts,” she said, adding that “migration must be regulated in order to maintain mobility.”
In Sweden – at least so far – they are looking for subtle ways, aside from strict border controls. The government has proposed in the draft budget for next year a relocation subsidy of up to 350,000 kronor (€30,000) for each migrant who agrees to return to their country voluntarily.
Stockholm hopes that this will tempt more foreigners to leave the country, especially those who have not assimilated into Swedish society and who generate all sorts of problems. Unfortunately, polling shows very few would accept.
The political scene is determined to improve security in the country, and authorities in Stockholm do not hide the fact that if voluntary incentives to return prove ineffective, forced deportations are envisaged.
Currently, immigrants who agree to return to their country of origin can count on a grant from Swedish taxpayers of up to 10,000 kronor (around €800) per adult. This amount usually covers travel costs for people with a residence permit in Sweden but who are not citizens of Sweden. Applicants must prove that they have the means to travel and that their return has been accepted by the country of destination.