One in three Swedish politicians targeted by violence, threats

9 months ago 30

One in three Swedish elected officials say they experienced one form of threat, violence or damage from ordinary citizens and more frequent perpetrators dubbed “systemic threat actors” in the previous year, while one in 10 said systemic actors threaten or cause damage against them each year, the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention revealed on Thursday.

Criminal networks, left and right-wing extremists, environmental or animal rights groups and religious extremists all fall within what the National Council for Crime Prevention calls “systemic threat actors”.

Including attacks by actors other than those considered systemic threat actors, such as ordinary citizens, almost a third of Swedish politicians surveyed said they had been subjected to some form of threat, violence or damage the previous year.

The most common threats are verbal or written, often transmitted digitally. According to the country’s crime prevention council, people perceived as right-wing extremists are over-represented.

When it comes to violence and vandalism, which are less common, left-wing extremists or criminal groups are more often perceived as the perpetrators.

Almost 60% of reported attacks by systemic threat actors are associated with right-wing extremism, just over 30% with left-wing extremism and just under 5% with criminal networks. Environmental or animal rights groups and religious extremists also account for smaller proportions.

The study is based on data from the Politicians’ Security Survey 2023, to which more than 8,000 elected representatives responded. It is also based on interviews with more than 25 elected representatives who have been victims of crime by systemic threat actors.

The Politicians’ Security Survey has been conducted every two years since 2012, and according to Sweden’s crime prevention body, politicians’ vulnerability has not changed.

The study is part of a government commission that will be completed in the spring of 2025.

(Charles Szumski | Euractiv.com)