Sweden's Jimmie Åkesson's apology for his party's past: What aspects are conspicuously absent?
The Sweden Democrats (SD), a political party with roots dating back to 1998, have been on a transformative journey, grappling with a troubling past and seeking to distance themselves from antisemitic and extremist views.
### A Chequered Past
The SD's origins can be traced back to the 1980s, with connections to white supremacist and antisemitic circles. During this period, Nazi and antisemitic views were prevalent within party functions and printed materials. This was acknowledged in a study commissioned by the party in 2025[1][2].
Key figures and party statements from past decades reflected antisemitic sentiments. For instance, Björn Söder, a senior party member, was criticized for suggesting in 2014 that Jews could not be culturally Swedish unless they abandoned parts of their Jewish identity[3]. In 2018, a party leader proposed banning nonmedical circumcision of boys, which was seen as a veiled attack on Jewish and Muslim traditions[1]. A party official was suspended in 2022 after calling Anne Frank “immoral,” a comment denounced as antisemitic[1].
### Apologies and Rebranding
In June 2025, the Sweden Democrats formally apologized for their Nazi links and antisemitism, describing those past views as "disgusting and reprehensible." Mattias Karlsson, a leading party ideologist, publicly condemned these previous expressions of antisemitism and National Socialist support, apologizing especially to Swedish Jews who felt fear or insecurity[1][4].
The party has made efforts to distance itself from its extremist past, establishing clearer boundaries against antisemitism, expelling members found to hold racist or antisemitic views, and supporting Israel diplomatically. After the 2023 Hamas attacks, the party reaffirmed support for Israel’s military response and backed deportations of non-citizens celebrating the attacks[2].
The Sweden Democrats are actively trying to rebrand themselves as a more mainstream party to join future coalition governments, highlighting a break with their origins while recognizing the harm their past has caused[1][2].
### Ongoing Challenges
Despite official apologies, accusations occasionally surface of party members expressing extremist views, though the party leadership has taken steps to suspend or expel such individuals[1]. The party’s earlier association with Nazi symbols and rhetoric has cast a long shadow, which they are now trying to confront through transparency and internal purges of extremist elements[1][2].
However, the apology to the Jewish community, Muslims, and the LGBT+ community, following years of abuse and offensive behavior, has not been made[1][2]. Isolated instances of racist behavior among members continue to surface, with examples taking place within the last few years[1].
As the Sweden Democrats navigate this complex journey, their efforts to reform and distance themselves from their extremist past are under constant scrutiny, with the hope that they can truly move beyond their troubled history.
[1] Gustafsson, Tony. (2025). Bevara Sverige Svenskt: The History of the Sweden Democrats. Uppsala University. [2] The Local Sweden. (2025). Sweden Democrats: A Timeline of Controversy. [3] Simon Wiesenthal Center. (2014). Top Ten Antisemitic Incidents of the Year. [4] The Local Sweden. (2025). Sweden Democrats Apologize for Antisemitism and Nazi Links.
The Sweden Democrats (SD), amid their transformation, have sought to disassociate themselves from the general-news of antisemitic and extremist views that marked their origins. Despite expelling members with racist or antisemitic views and supporting Israel diplomatically, crime-and-justice accusations of party members expressing extremist views continue to surface, highlighting the ongoing challenges they face in their bid to rebrand themselves as a more mainstream party.
