Sweden turns on the asylum screw: away from the welcome image!

Sweden turns on the asylum screw: away from the welcome image!

The Swedish government around Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson takes a radical change of course in migration policy. After a phase of open welcome culture, which Sweden characterized as a flagship for migrants, the regulations are now dramatically exacerbated. Minister of Migration Johan ForSsell said that citizenship no longer had to be awarded unconditionally in the future, but would have to be "deserved". This shows a clear departure from the liberal attitude, which once shaped Sweden, as Bernd Parusel emphasizes from the Swedish Institute for European Studies. Sweden currently has the historically lowest number of asylums; Parusel notes that this development may be the result of a comprehensive decline in irregular entry into the entire EU, which in 2024 decreased by 38 percent compared to the previous year. Despite these measures, it is emphasized that the number of refugees does not lose weight - they are only diverted to other countries, which promotes a "Race to the Bottom" in the field of asylum policy.

return bonus as a new instrument

In order to further control migration, the Swedish government is also planning to significantly increase incentives for the voluntary return of migrants. From 2026, up to 350,000 Swedish crowns, the equivalent of around 30,000 euros, will receive up to 350,000 Swedish crowns, if they decide to leave the country. This initiative arises from the Swedish Democrats election program and is interpreted by political scientist Bernd Parusel as a sign of the proximity between bourgeois parties and right -wing extremists. In view of the skepticism of the effectiveness of this premium, Parusel emphasizes that similar programs in Denmark have so far had little success. The increased return premium could therefore make little to reduce the number of migrants.

The Swedish government thus shows that it is already acting against the recommendations of experts who clearly advise against the initiative. Rather, there is fear that the requested return premium could only remove people who can easily integrate into the labor market, which means that the decline in the number of migrants does not show the hoped -for effect. The strict asylum policy is perceived as a deterrent in many places and could damage Sweden in his role as a pioneer of a humanitarian refugee policy, which reflects a remarkable change in the attitude of the Swedish society, such as FOCUS.de reported. Also Today.at emphasizes the extensive changes in immigration policy.