The Sweden Democrats won 20 seats (5.7 percent of the Swedish parliament) in the most recent parliamentary elections in 2010 on a campaign of cutting immigration rates by 90 percent. Its critics call it 鈥渞acist鈥� and 鈥淚slamaphobic,鈥� but it clearly resonated with a section of the Swedish population, the Monitor reported in October 2010.
According to SD's website, the party rejects "multiculturalism," attributes increased crime to immigration, calls for an end to "public support for immigrant organizations," adding that "all other activities aimed at promoting foreign cultures and identities in Sweden should be canceled."
It also wants to outlaw 鈥渞eligious buildings, with a non-Swedish building style, strange architecture鈥� and forbid public workers from wearing 鈥渃onspicuous religious or political symbols, such as a head scarf or turban." What鈥檚 more, it calls for the government to support immigrants who want to return to their homelands.
The Sweden Democrats party was founded in 1988. In its early years, some members could still be spotted in Nazi uniforms at its meetings, although the practice was stopped as the party tried to move into the mainstream.
