Sweden: The Scandinavian Exception

Abstract

The last two decades have seen a resurgence of the radical right in Western Europe. These parties, which hereafter will be called radical right-wing populist (RRP) parties, share a fundamental core of (a) ethno-nationalist xenophobia — manifested in strong anti-immigration stances and opposition to multiculturalism; and (b) anti-political establishment populism — expressed by presenting themselves as the only alternative to the corrupt elite, of which all other political parties are part. This ideological core is embedded in a general socio-cultural authoritarianism, which stresses themes like law and order and family values (Rydgren, 2005).