Youths on the rampage in Sweden's cities
Masked youths have set dozens of cars on fire and attacked police officers in several Swedish cities. In Gothenburg alone, at least 88 vehicles were destroyed or damaged. The authorities are not ruling out the possibility that this was a coordinated action. What will the unrest mean for the parliamentary elections at the start of September?
First think, then talk
Politicians must avoid fuelling the unrest, Expressen warns:
“Leading figures in government should keep quiet as long as we don't know what really happened. Certainly, it could turn out that the violence was politically motivated. Nevertheless it's crucial that no one disseminates information that deviates from what the Swedish authorities have already confirmed. The first goal of a campaign is to cause confusion, and the second is to create distrust. Spreading conspiracy theories only contributes to these processes. It's appalling that people who claim to be leading the country don't think before they speak. In crisis situations we need leaders who can keep a cool head.”
Sweden Democrats benefitting from unrest
The riots could ultimately have an impact on the formation of a new government after the elections, Turun Sanomat believes:
“The debate over violence in the suburbs and immigration is helping the Sweden Democrats. According to the latest polls this party with racist tendencies is at 20 percent in some places. ... If the predictions for the election prove right, the coalition negotiations will be extremely difficult. The other parties are not willing to collaborate with the Sweden Democrats. If a coalition between the Social Democrats and the conservative party Moderata samlingspartiet continues to be impossible, a minority government seems the likeliest outcome. But a broader political basis will be needed to tackle the problems in the suburbs and the challenges posed by migration.”