The issue of rape and the increasing amount of rape assault crimes in Sweden was the beginning of a major break between Jimmie Åkesson (SD) and Prime Minister Stefan Löfven (S) during the year’s first television debate between the party leaders.
By – Brünnhilde
After requesting that the Prime Minister “attempt to stick to the subject”, the SD leader was ignored when Stefan Löfven suddenly began to talk about women’s position in the labor market and LAS, the Employment Protection Act in Sweden.
The discussion about sexual offenses was brought up under the second topic, Law and Order, during Sunday’s live party debate in the SVT Agenda. And it was a crucial topic that was a direct concern of the Swedish public.
“In fact, Stefan Löfven, four out of five rapists with a foreign backgroud living in Sweden will not be expelled. Four out of five. Why should we keep foreign rapists?” asked SD party leader Jimmie Åkesson.
“If you are so worried about the women Åkesson, why do you want to worsen the female workers’ position in the labor market?” responded Löfven, in a blatant attempt to change the subject.
“What in the world does that have to do with rape attacks and sexual abuse? Now, if you could try to keep a little to the subject,” Åkesson replied.
“Did you not follow the #metoo debate?” Löv repeated twice.
“What does it have to do with the working conditions?” fired back Åkesson.
“It’s also about this. How many are not exposed to their work, both of them?” said Löfven.
GP’s political editor, Alice Teodorescu, commented on Stefan Löfven’s sudden departure from the subject on Twitter: “How did the LAS come into a debate about rape? Does he think the voters are stupid in their minds?!”
Even the debutor Rebecca Weidmo Uvell pointed to the comic of the situation:
“Good day,” she writes.
Jimmie Åkesson also questioned the government’s view of perpetrators by stating, “People do not change values just because they change the ground under their feet, and it is a fact we must acknowledge.”
In a reply to Jonas Sjöstedt (V), Åkesson replied:
“Do you stand here and deny that culture is important? It depends on the culture, it depends on the values. People are coming here and they have a completely different view on women and gender equality. Standing here and denying that immigration and the Middle East are major reasons for the explosive growth in rape assaults, is shameful.”
According to a survey conducted by Aftonbladet together with Inizio after the party leadership debate, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven receievd the second worst rating from the Swedish public – he scored a 2.5 on a scale from one to five.
Here is the result of the Inizio survey:
Ulf Kristersson (M) 3,6
Annie Lööf (C) 3.3
Jan Björklund (L) 3.2
Jimmie Åkesson (SD) 3.2
Jonas Sjöstedt (V) 3.0
Ebba Busch Thor (KD) 3.0
Stefan Löfven (S) 2.5
Isabella Lövin (MP) 2.3
The post SWEDEN: How did women’s position in the labor market come into a debate about RAPE? appeared first on Save My Sweden.