# Sweden’s election blame game

Source URL: https://polimeme.com/discussion/thread_99e7202c0c85ec82
First seen: 2026-09-18 10:40 UTC · Latest activity: 2026-09-18 18:00 UTC
6 core pieces, 4 related pieces

## Summary

Swedish commentators are arguing over claims that immigrants and Muslim voters explain the election result. The dispute is whether that language hides party failures and class voting, or turns minorities into a target for delegitimising democracy.

## Core contention

Should election losses be blamed on immigrant and Muslim voters, or on the right’s own politics and campaign failures?

## Argument map

1. Blaming immigrants and Muslims for the result distorts the vote and weakens equal suffrage. — DN Debatt, Zina Al-Dewany (Aftonbladet), DN:s ledarredaktion (Dagens Nyheter)
2. SD’s setback came from its own politics, not from minority voting. — Frida Dunell (Aftonbladet)
3. M and KD should condemn politicians who use ethnic blame to undermine election legitimacy. — DN:s ledarredaktion (Dagens Nyheter)

## Fault line

Whether the result reflects voter demographics or party strategy and policy.

## New element

The argument has hardened around Muslim voters and the legitimacy of election blame, not just general anti-immigrant rhetoric.

## European relevance

It tests how far European mainstream parties will tolerate ethnic blame in election politics.

## Distinct theses in this debate

- SVT and the right are pushing a bogus ethnic explanation for the election, while class and policy drove the results
- Language framing foreign-background and Muslim voters as a democratic threat undermines equal suffrage and democracy
- M and KD should condemn and punish politicians who undermine election legitimacy by blaming immigrants for the result.
- Sverigedemokraterna's election setback was caused by its own politics, not by immigrants or Muslims
- Muslim voters have equal democratic value, and right-wing claims that their votes are less legitimate are racist and anti-democratic.
- Sverigedemokraterna's anti-Muslim stance makes Tidöpartierna unfit to govern

## Pieces

- 2026-09-18 18:00 UTC — [DN Debatt. ”Här är vad de egentligen menar när de talar om ’röstboskap’”](https://www.dn.se/debatt/har-ar-vad-de-egentligen-menar-nar-de-talar-om-rostboskap) — DN Debatt [sv]
- 2026-09-17 14:00 UTC — [Klanröstningen på Strandvägen då, SVT?](https://www.aftonbladet.se/ledare/a/m02Ap0/varfor-inte-prata-om-klanrostning-pa-strandvagen-svt) — Zina Al-Dewany (Aftonbladet) [sv]
- 2026-09-18 05:22 UTC — [Ledare: Är det verkligen okej att partitopparna skyller valresultatet på invandrarna?](https://www.dn.se/ledare/ar-det-verkligen-okej-att-partitopparna-skyller-valresultatet-pa-invandrarna) — DN:s ledarredaktion (Dagens Nyheter) [sv]
- 2026-09-15 14:00 UTC — [Sluta skylla allt på muslimer, Åkesson](https://www.aftonbladet.se/ledare/a/xr2W7p/sluta-skylla-allt-pa-muslimer-akesson) — Frida Dunell (Aftonbladet) [sv]
- 2026-09-16 03:10 UTC — [Ledare: I en demokrati är muslimers röster lika mycket värda](https://www.dn.se/ledare/i-en-demokrati-ar-muslimers-roster-lika-mycket-varda) — DN:s ledarredaktion (Dagens Nyheter) [sv]
- 2026-09-12 16:37 UTC — [Max Hjelm: Jimmie Åkessons ord under slutdebatten visar vad som står på spel](https://www.dn.se/ledare/max-hjelm-jimmie-akessons-ord-under-slutdebatten-visar-vad-som-star-pa-spel) — Max Hjelm (Dagens Nyheter) [sv]

### Related

- 2026-09-14 11:47 UTC — [Alle lener til høyre. Selv innvandrerne](https://www.dagsavisen.no/kommentar/alle-lener-til-hoyre-selv-innvandrerne/10530168) — Maja Sojtaric (Dagsavisen) [no]
- 2026-09-10 10:54 UTC — [Sverigedemokraterna har nazistiske røtter](https://agendamagasin.no/debatt/sverigedemokraterna-har-nazistiske-rotter) — Jonas Bals (Agenda Magasin) [no]
- 2026-09-10 13:18 UTC — [Jenseits der Brandmauer](https://www.ipg-journal.de/regionen/europa/artikel/jenseits-der-brandmauer-9290) — Kristina Birke Daniels (IPG Journal) [de]
- 2026-09-11 15:09 UTC — [Susanne Nyström: Partiledarna använder inte det starkaste vapnet i debatterna](https://www.dn.se/ledare/susanne-nystrom-partiledarna-anvander-inte-det-starkaste-vapnet-i-debatterna) — Susanne Nyström (Dagens Nyheter) [sv]