Topic: Stefan Lofven

The recent Swedish election saw significant gains for the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party with roots in the neo-nazi movement. While the center-left and center-right coalitions lost ground, the Sweden Democrats increased their vote share to nearly 18%. The political shift is attributed to public concern over the 163,000 asylum seekers Sweden accepted in 2015, the highest per-capita rate in the EU.

Sweden called its first snap election in over 50 years after the right-wing Sweden Democrats party voted down the government's budget. The political crisis centers on the party's demand for tougher immigration policies, while reports also highlight the Swedish FRA's long-standing role in spying on Russian communications for the United States.