Sweden's Far-Right Targets Immigrants at Stockholm Central Station

When 39-year-old therapist Neira Tokalija saw the far-right Sweden Democrats' slogans plastered across the walls of Stockholm's central station, she felt a familiar fear. Having fled Bosnia and Herzegovina with her family after ethnic cleansing campaigns against Bosniaks, Tokalija said seeing dozens of posters and installations by the Sweden Democrats (SD) made her feel that "no matter how hard I try as a second-generation immigrant, I will never be Swedish enough."

The SD spent about $100,000 on the station campaign with posters reading: "If you commit crimes, live on benefits, do not learn Swedish, or behave badly, you are not welcome." The campaign ran for a week in mid-August, ahead of the September 13 general election. The SD currently polls second and could enter government for the first time if a right-wing coalition wins.

Beyond the station, the SD ran separate campaigns on various public transport networks. In western Sweden, the party advertised on buses: "Do you miss Mogadishu? The repatriation grant will help you go home." This grant has existed since the 1980s, introduced by the Social Democratic government, initially around $1,000 per refugee. However, this year the center-right coalition government, working with the SD, increased it to about $36,000 per adult.

About 20 Somali-origin bus drivers called in sick in protest. The public transport operator Vasttrafik removed the posters after the protest, citing drivers' fears of harassment and risk of vandalism.

Zina al-Dewany, political commentator and editor at Aftonbladet, described the campaign as intended to shock. The SD often runs campaigns that are "a bit too provocative," but when forced to remove them, the party casts itself as the "victim." After the bus campaign was removed, SD MP Tobias Andersson issued a statement calling the decision censorship and "election sabotage."

The normalization of the SD in politics

For decades, Sweden's political establishment treated the SD as a pariah party. But after the 2018 general election, political deadlock forced right-wing parties to reconsider their coalitions. In subsequent years, the SD met with the Christian Democrats and the Moderates; by October 2022, the Liberals opened the door to the SD, and four right-wing party leaders signed a 62-page agreement called Tido, forming the current coalition government.

By May 2026, another line was crossed when Simona Mohamsson, Liberal leader and Minister for Education and Integration, declared that her party would allow the SD into government in the future. Mohamsson, born in Germany to a Palestinian father and Lebanese mother, moved to Sweden at age eight and is known for anti-racism activism. After her announcement, SD leader Jimmie Akesson extended his hand for a shake, and Mohamsson embraced him — a moment that sent shockwaves through Swedish politics.

'Bad vibes' at the station

Several staff working in cafes and shops around the central station during the SD campaign felt that its boldness was a consequence of years of normalizing the party. Ester, a barista, said the scale of the campaign surprised her, while her colleague Aya said it brought a "bad vibe" to the station all week.

The government's focus on repatriation comes amid a series of scandals that have shaken public opinion this year. In February, the Swedish Migration Agency ordered the deportation of an 8-month-old boy born in the country, named Emanuel, alone to Iran while his family retained residence permits. Around the same time, teenagers who grew up in Sweden were told they must leave when they turn 18 while their parents stay — a policy that was finally suspended in March and reformed in June.

An anonymous man working at the station during the campaign to collect donations for a charity supporting Palestinians in Gaza said the campaign made him uncomfortable, but he was glad to see the public's reaction. Many angry citizens engaged in heated debates with SD representatives at the party's information desk in the station, often focusing on the party's views on Islam and its pro-Israel stance. After the debates, many made larger-than-usual donations to the charity; the week's fundraising was significantly higher than normal.

Al-Dewany also sees hope. She believes the SD has reached its "peak populism," meaning the party has hit a ceiling. Its focus on immigration while the government is entangled in repatriation scandals is starting to cost it votes rather than attract new supporters. Late-August polls put the SD at 18-19%, down from 20.5% in 2022.

Tokalija, whose partner is from Mozambique, shared that upon arrival she was welcomed with "Swedish warmth" and curiosity about other cultures. Although she still senses this spirit in some quarters of society today, the language about immigrants has changed, with them often labeled as "those who just seek money." Society now demands that families like hers "fully assimilate," abandoning multicultural and Islamic identities, leaving them the choice between total integration or exclusion — a choice she says reflects the fascist ideologies she once fled.