Sweden Anti-Immigrants Gain After Becoming ‘Martyrs’
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Jimmie Aakesson, the leader of Sweden’s anti-immigrant party, had the makeup lounge all to himself before an election-night television appearance. The reason was that a rival party head refused even to be in the same room.
That kind of ostracism by mainstream parties may have backfired and fueled the Sweden Democrats’ popularity, political scientists said. It may help explain how it took 5.7 percent of the vote on Sept. 19, won 20 seats in the legislature and threw the government into a minority.