Swedish Left Party candidates removed after praising dictators, spreading antisemitism

Sweden's Left Party (V) is facing scrutiny after revelations that several of its candidates have been removed from electoral lists for praising dictatorships, denying the Holocaust, and spreading antisemitic content. The issue has highlighted a significant challenge for the party: the difficulty of conducting thorough background checks on all potential candidates at the local level.

Expressen's investigation uncovered that 25 Left Party candidates had engaged in such problematic behavior on social media. Nine of these candidates were located in the Skåne region. Following the exposé, all have been removed from the party's lists. Jesper Sáhlen, the district chairman for Skånevänstern, acknowledged in a comment that the party is initiating a "more long-term effort to improve the work of the nomination committee."

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We simply cannot map out every candidate at the municipal level.

Samuel Johansson, the chairman of the V party in Bromölla, expressed that local branches often lack the necessary resources for comprehensive vetting. "We simply cannot map out every candidate at the municipal level," Johansson stated. He explained that in smaller local associations, there are no dedicated political staff, and the focus is primarily on candidates at the top of the list who are most likely to be elected.

The revelations have prompted sharp criticism from other political parties. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) questioned on X, "Now nine antisemites and terror romantics have left the Left Party. I have a question for Nooshi Dadgostar: how many do you have left?" Johansson emphasized that the candidate in Bromölla who was removed was low on the list and had no realistic chance of being elected, but he conceded that the situation is still serious.

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Now nine antisemites and terror romantics have left the Left Party. I have a question for Nooshi Dadgostar: how many do you have left?