Sweden

At the turn of the year, Sweden took over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from the Czech Republic and will be responsible for leading the Union for the next six months. Although the Swedes have a reputation for being solid and liberal-minded partners, there are concerns about the great unknown because of the composition of their current government. For the first time in history, it is supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Our Senior Research Fellow Vít Havelka wrote this article for VOXPOT.

What is behind the victory of the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats party? What role does gang violence play in the election? And what other factors played a role in this election? Find out more in an interview with Christian Kvorning Lassen, Head of Research at EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy.

Christian Kvorning Lassen debunks, in his latest blog, right-wing myths about Sweden's criminality as a reaction to Donald Trump's recent statements and in light of some right-wing politicians' claims.

Following the announcement of Sweden and Denmark to re-introduce border controls in the light of the refugee crisis, Christian Kvorning Lassen looks at the broader implications of this move and the future of the Schengen area.