Domestic policy The party is a supporter of the
Swedish monarchy playing a constitutional and cultural role in Swedish life, but also supports an amendment to the
constitution that obligates the Riksdag to elect a new monarch in the event of there being no heir to the throne. In 2025 the party supported changing the citizenship requirements to the conditions of being able to speak Swedish, having education about Swedish culture and having an honest way of life, as well as declaring loyalty to Sweden. The Sweden Democrats have been critical of the special rights given to the indigenous
Sámi people of northern Sweden. In 2008, the party accepted a motion against the rights to
reindeer husbandry. They have argued that those "who do not involve themselves with reindeer husbandry are treated as second class citizens" and that the privileges the herders have are "undemocratic". The party has previously wanted to abolish the
Sámi Parliament, which it claimed special privileges for an "ethnic minority while the society claims equal rights for others". However, the SD has since disputed that it endorses abolishing the Sámi Parliament with SD spokesman
Mattias Karlsson saying in a 2013 interview that "the Sami are an indigenous people with an indisputable right to preserve their identity and culture."
National identity and culture The Sweden Democrats value a strong common national and
cultural identity, believing these to be the most basic cornerstones of a functioning democracy and successful society. Minimizing linguistic, cultural and religious differences in society and emphasizing a defined sense of Swedish cultural values and social norms has a positive effect on
societal cohesion, maintaining a welfare state and encouraging solidarity among the population, according to the party. On its platform, SD states the Swedish nation is defined "in terms of loyalty, a common language and common culture". A requirement for becoming a member of the Swedish nation is to either "be born in it or by actively choosing to be a part of it". For these reasons among others, SDfirmly rejects
multiculturalism and argues that Sweden should preserve its cultural heritage by assimilating newcomers and maintaining Swedish as the nation's official language. The 2005 party handbook called for a "high degree of ethnic and cultural similarity among the population" However, the SD's official platform since 2018 no longer refers to a Swedish nation and people in an ethnically defined context, but adopts a more moderate
cultural conservative policy promoting a shared national identity in which foreign-born people can become Swedish through stricter assimilation policies in exchange for citizenship and by the state asserting a more defined concept of Swedish culture and social values. The SD argues that not having a defined sense of what it means to be Swedish makes it harder for those of non-Western cultures to understand and become part of Swedish society. SD representatives have expressed that lacking a defined Swedish cultural identity and society will leave Sweden vulnerable to takeovers by more defined but aggressive cultures and social attitudes, with members of the party citing Islamic culture as an example. The SD has cited a strong work ethic, respect for nature, appreciation for Lutheran Christian traditions, speaking Swedish and equality between the sexes as important parts of Swedish cultural values that the country should strive to maintain. Nevertheless, the idea of a binding "inherited essence" is still a defining feature of SD supporters' worldview. A 2025 study reveals that supporters of the Sweden Democrats are more likely than those of other parties to believe that social differences (e.g., talents, intelligence, behaviours) between individuals, genders, and groups reflect genetic predispositions. In a 2014 interview for
Dagens Nyheter, Second Deputy Speaker of the Riksdag and then-party secretary
Björn Söder elaborated on the SDparty programme with respect to its views on national identity and obtaining Swedish citizenship by saying that although an immigrant of any ethnic background in theory can become a Swedish citizen, they would have to adapt and be
assimilated in order to be considered Swedish in the cultural sense, since the SD does not view a simple acquisition of Swedish citizenship with no assimilation requirements as the same as becoming part of Swedish society. In the interview, Söder stated that the officially recognised Swedish minority peoples such as
Sámi,
Tornedalians and
Jews in many cases had dual cultural identities and that they probably would be proud of both heritages, and claimed that while these minorities are part of Sweden today, they had to give up part of their own culture in the past to integrate and become culturally Swedish. Söder's comments were accused of being antisemitic and caused Swedish parliamentary groups and party leaders to call for his resignation. The
Simon Wiesenthal Center listed the statement as number six on their list of the top ten most anti-semitic events of 2014. Söder responded in an article for
The Jerusalem Post, denying the charges of anti-semitism and claiming
Dagens Nyheter had taken his statements out of context. In response, the SD also stated that it rejects antisemitism in Sweden and supports Israel in foreign policy, and that its proposed assimilation model is based on recognizing the difference between the concept of nationhood and acquired citizenship as opposed to implying minorities have split loyalties. The Sweden Democrats advocates a cultural policy that would strip government funding for multicultural initiatives and strengthen support for traditional Swedish culture. This agenda has often manifested itself as opposition to state funding of immigrant cultural organisations and festivals, and more support for traditional Swedish craft, folk music, and folk dance groups. The party also tends to oppose state support for cultural initiatives deemed provocative or elitist. A 2014 letter signed by 52Swedish anthropologists, criticised the Sweden Democrats' use of the terms "culture" (
kultur ) and "anthropology" (
antropologi ), claiming their views on culture were "
essentialist and obsolete", clarifying that culture is "dynamic" and "in constant change". The Sweden Democrats themselves maintain that traditional elements of Sweden's culture should not be rendered obsolete in favour of multiculturalism and argue Swedish cultural values contributed to the nation's economic and social successes through the "people's home" (
Folkhemmet) concept. According to scholar Bo Nilsson, the party links the adoption of multicultural policies with a subsequent decline in the
Folkhemmet model and Sweden's success. The party has expressed opposition to certain forms of modern architecture and in 2022 called for new housing to reflect traditional architectural styles, with the SD supporting more investment and streamlined planning permission rules into building new homes designed to match the specifications of what the party calls the "Sverigehuset" (the Sweden House), a classic wooden house design in Sweden. In 2025, the SD proposed to the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning to build more affordable housing in traditional designs. The Sweden Democrats also criticise modern art, and have accused local councils of wasting public money on what it calls "provocative" art. The SD want citizens to be able to vote in local referendums on public art displayed near schools, public transport stations and town centres. "The important thing is that what is expressed in the public environment is anchored to the citizens and especially the local residents who are most often in the environment so that they feel an identification", says the party's cultural spokesperson
Aron Emilsson. Sweden Democrats mayor in
Sölvesborg Louise Erixon claimed "There's a big division between what the general public thinks is beautiful and interesting and what a tiny cultural elite thinks is exciting". The Sweden Democrats also support a ban on the
burqa and
niqāb in public places and are against proposals to publicly broadcast the Islamic call to prayer from
minarets. The SD wants tougher enforcement of existing laws against
female genital mutilation, honor violence and social segregation. The party also wants Swedish to remain Sweden's main official language in state funded schools, government agencies and public funded media, and for more teaching of Swedish cultural history in schools. It also supports prohibiting the
hijab in primary schools, arguing that while it is not opposed to hijabs in general, the choice to wear it should be made on an individual basis when a child reaches adulthood. The SD is strongly opposed to
sharia law being incorporated into the Swedish legal system. Leading party representatives have also spoken out in various contexts against mosques and Islamic centres in Sweden. In 2023, SD leader
Jimmie Åkesson argued that Swedish mosques which preach "anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, homophobic, anti-Semitic propaganda" should be closed and demolished and expressed opposition to the construction of new Islamic buildings. SD has also argued that other Swedish parties, particularly those on the left such as the
Social Democrats are tolerant of Islamist activities in Sweden to secure votes at the expense of Swedish culture and security. He drew parallels to the ban on the
Swastika, claiming that both symbols represent something dangerous.
Immigration The Sweden Democrats believe that
Sweden's recent immigration and integration policies have been a national failure. In a statement filed before the
Riksdag Committee on Migration in August 2020, SD claims that Sweden's "irresponsible" immigration and asylum policies have subjected Sweden to an on-going "long-term, albeit low-intensity crisis". The SD official policy brief states that the party "welcomes those who contribute to our [Sweden's] society, who follow our laws and respect our customs. On the other hand, anyone who comes here and exploits our systems, commits crimes or exposes our citizens to danger is not welcome". Historically, SD sought to repatriate most immigrants and ban immigration entirely; however, these policies were moderated in the 1990s before being abolished altogether. The Sweden Democrats also call for an expansion of circumstances in which citizenship can be revoked from naturalized citizens, with Jimmie Åkesson mentioning examples of those who commit crimes, engage in delinquency, support terrorism or remain socially unintegrated into society. The Sweden Democrats also support raising the
remigration allowance given to migrants and asylum seekers who seek to voluntarily leave the country. The SD argues that its immigration policies are not based on xenophobia and that the party is not opposed to immigration per se, but believe immigration must stay at a level where it does not "threaten national identity, the country's welfare or security". SD has also campaigned to restrict immigration from what it calls "culturally distant" countries and argues that temporary work visas should be limited only to skills that are impossible to find in Sweden. SD are against
free movement of labour within the European Union, calling on Sweden to revise its membership of the
Schengen agreement, but support free movement between
Nordic nations. SD also favours cultural assimilation over integration of immigrants from non-Western backgrounds, arguing that integration is a meet in the middle approach and that Swedes should not have to bear the burden over what the party claims have been reckless immigration policies. (former party secretary from 2003 to 2004) said in 2002 that the party wanted "a multicultural world, not a multicultural society". When handling asylum seekers and refugee cases, the SD supports protecting
national sovereignty in regards to Sweden's decisions on migration and border control. The party calls for Sweden to adopt "the principle of first safe country" into its asylum laws, meaning that asylum seekers should only be able to seek refugee status in the first safe country that they arrive in and will be refused refugee status in Sweden if they have already crossed multiple safe countries or their case is already registered in a foreign state. Until such legislation is realized by the Riksdag, SD supports implementing stronger deterrents against asylum migration to Sweden through other countries and setting stricter limits on the right to welfare that asylum seekers are entitled to by the Swedish state and making cultural assimilation of those already in Sweden mandatory. The party opposes offering
permanent residency to refugees, believing that temporary residency should be the standard for those who claim asylum in Sweden before a path to full residency or citizenship is considered. SD supports Sweden eventually accepting refugees exclusively through the
UNHCR resettlement programme in accordance with a quota based on each
municipality's capacity once Sweden's asylum laws are reformed and tightened. SD has also referred to the recommendations from the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which state that the return of refugees should be the solution to refugee problems. In 2017, members of the Sweden Democrats' leadership defended comments made by then US President
Donald Trump in response to Trump's assertion that Sweden's immigration and asylum policies had led to a rise of terrorism and crime in Sweden. However, following the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine the SD supported accepting and accommodating Ukrainian refugees in Sweden. Ahead of the
2022 Swedish general election, the party campaigned to tighten the rules in the Swedish Aliens Act () to the strictest possible level within European law and encourage voluntary
remigration of asylum seekers and immigrants who are economically inactive or remain culturally unassimilated. SD calls for compulsory measures for immigrants to be employed, live and work in Sweden for at least ten years, learn the
Swedish language, go through a mandatory cultural assimilation program, and be subject to a language and social skills test before becoming eligible for Swedish citizenship. Following the
2022 Swedish general election, the Sweden Democrats achieved this objective under the
Tidö Agreement with the centre-right Moderate, Christian Democrat and Liberal Party coalition government. In exchange for SD parliamentary support, the Swedish government conceded to some of the SD's immigration policy demands on requirements for obtaining Swedish citizenship and expanding the deportation circumstances for foreign-born residents and asylum seekers. Following scenes of people in Swedish cities celebrating the
October 7 attacks, the SD leadership stated that those who praised the attack should be expelled from the country and that the Tidö Agreement clause on deporting non-citizens on grounds of poor character and not just criminal convictions should be used against those who support
Hamas. SD also states that Swedes of foreign backgrounds who leave the country to join legally designated terrorist groups should be stripped of their citizenship or residency and denied re-entry into the country.
Society and crime Family policy The Sweden Democrats consider children raised in a
nuclear family as the preferred option for the child's development. Those not raised by their biological parents should have the right to associate with or at least find out who they were. SD has been critical of adoption and
artificial insemination for same-sex couples and
polyamorous people. The party also calls for a ban on child, polygamous and
forced marriages, as well as harsher penalties for
honor violence. It also supports a zero-tolerance stance against
female genital mutilation within Sweden and abroad, and for perpetrators to be prosecuted or if necessary deported. SD also wants certain restrictions on
male circumcision, calling for a ban on minors unless its for medical reasons. The party says that while it does support male circumcision for religious reasons, it should be performed at the age of consent and the state should not fund it through the healthcare system. SD supports
abortion being legal in Sweden and free access to abortions up to the legal limit in Sweden which is 22 weeks since 2019.
LGBT rights The SD previously opposed government sanctioned adoption to single people and same-sex couples, unless the adopting party are close relatives or already have a close relationship with the child, but has since shifted its stance to permitting
same-sex adoption, and supports privately funded insemination for single or gay parents. Historically, members of SD have criticized a so-called "
Homosex Lobby", but the party has since changed and moderated its position on LGBT in Swedish society. Party leader Jimmie Åkesson has expressed concerns that what he describes as the gradual
Islamisation of Sweden will eventually lead to the rights of
sexual minorities being violated. Throughout the early 2000s,
SD-Kuriren (the official SD party newspaper) regularly published articles criticizing LGBT events and describing homosexuality as "perversion", before moderating itself alongside a shift in party ideology. A blog post claiming
Stockholm Pride sexualised young children and
equating homosexuality with pedophilia titled ("Soon enough we'll hit rock bottom") was published by SD Party secretary
Björn Söder on 1 August 2007. The post was widely criticised in the Swedish media as an attack on LGBT people. An unofficial
pride parade called Pride Järva was organised by SD member and former party magazine editor Jan Sjunnesson in the Stockholm suburbs of
Tensta and
Husby, two areas with large immigrant populations. The event was disavowed by the official Stockholm Pride organisation and the
Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights; in a joint statement, both organisations called Sjunnesson "a person who's spreading hatred towards Muslims on social media [and] who's not supporting LGBT rights". Approximately 30 people participated in Pride Järva, with a larger amount of LGBT and heterosexual anti-racist
counter-protestors arriving to oppose them. In 2014, the official
Stockholm Pride voted to ban the SD from participating that year, which was met with criticism from both within the party and from some opposition politicians, who argued it was undemocratic. In recent years, the SD has shifted its stance to being more supportive of
LGBT rights and same-sex parenting by updating and expanding its policies regarding LGBT issues. In 2010, SD leader Jimmie Åkesson and party vice-president
Carina Ståhl Herrstedt published an article apologizing for past
homophobic statements made by party members, and arguing that mass immigration risked eroding the rights of Sweden's gay community. In its current platform, the SD states "everyone must be treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation, and discrimination must be combated". In a 2018 interview, SD member of the Riksdag and gender-equality spokesperson
Paula Bieler stated that homophobes "are not welcome in our party". Since 2018, the SD party program has been updated to support same-sex adoption and parenting. In 2025, the SD proposed constructing a statue in
Örebro, dedicated to
Muhsin Hendricks, the world's first openly gay imam, who had been shot dead in his car in South Africa, to honour his work for the LGBTQI movement, as well as constructing a statue in
Rinkeby to honour the rights of LGBTQI people in the area. The SD supports
gender-affirming surgery, as long as the motive behind it is mental wellbeing, and permission is given by a medical professional. Gender studies scholars Karlberg, Korolczuk and Sältenberg note that politicians representing the Sweden Democrats are among "the primary actors advancing
anti-gender discourses" in Sweden, a discourse they argue contributes to an "insidious
de-democratization" by targeting vulnerable groups.
Gender equality SD opposes any "negative or positive special treatment on the basis of gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnic origin" in the labour market. The party maintains that, collectively, there are biological differences between men and women, some of which that cannot be "observed with the naked eye". Perceived differences between men and women in regards to preference, behaviour and life choices exist due to each individual's choices and does not necessarily have to be "problematic, the result of discrimination nor the result of an oppressive gender power structure". The SD previously called for the Church of Sweden to be reinstated as a
state church but no longer supports this policy, however they continue to support holidays in connection with religious occasions to only include traditionally Swedish and Christian holidays with party leader Jimmie Åkesson stating in a 2014 interview that he wants to protect Christianity as a "system of norms". In Swedish Church Assembly election campaigns, the SD has campaigned on the issue of Christians who are subjected to persecution and hate crimes in Sweden and abroad.
Law and order and security The Sweden Democrats support generally increased
minimum sentences as well as increased resources and personnel for the
police. SD wishes to instate the possibility of
life imprisonment without parole for the worst crimes and to repatriate foreign citizens found guilty of serious crimes. SD also wants to establish a public register of individuals convicted of certain sexual crimes. The party also supports increased surveillance of those known to be involved in criminal gangs and terrorism. SD argues for a zero-tolerance law for people who physically attack police officers and emergency workers. SD previously supported the reinstatement of
capital punishment before dropping it as an official policy after the party program was updated in 1998, although individuals within the party continue to support the death penalty for serious crimes such as murder and
infanticide and have called for
chemical castration of convicted child sexual abusers. The SD opposes allowing Swedish citizens who joined
ISIS to return to Sweden and argues that anyone who joins a foreign terrorist group should be denied state funded assistance. In 2023, SD also stated that Swedes who have travelled to the
Gaza Strip to support Hamas should be banned from reentering the country. SD has also emphasised a desire to crack down on abuses and crimes of which the elderly are particular targets. In 2025, the SD supported passing stricter ownership regulations on
AR-15 rifles following the
2025 Risbergska school shooting although some senior party spokespeople expressed opposition to amending gun ownership laws citing the impact it could have on farmers and hunters.
Economy The Sweden Democrats have described themselves as supporters of the
Swedish welfare state,
labour rights and the
public sector, but argue that welfare should be restricted to Swedish citizens and permanent residents. The party argues that foreign-born nationals must show proof of legal residence, paid taxes and financial self-support for a certain period to become eligible for welfare. In its platform, the SD claims that its economic policies are neither left or right-wing, but designed to improve conditions for
small and medium-sized companies,
self-employed citizens and
entrepreneurs to boost employment and stimulate the economy, as opposed to what it describes as "constructed jobs" created by the state to reduce unemployment but hold no long term benefit for the Swedish economy or career paths for the people who work them. SD wants to abolish the Swedish Employment Service in its current form and replace it with a new authority for the supervision and close regulation of private employment services to ensure large corporations do not exploit or undercut Swedish workers. The party supports affordable and free access to public healthcare for Swedish nationals. SD supports certain
free trade conditions but believe Sweden must exit or revise trade agreements that pose a threat to Sweden's sovereignty and Swedish workers. The party favours certain measures of
economic protectionism and support state-ownership of companies that operate Swedish mines, agricultural land and produce energy or defense equipment. However, SD also support abolishing
inheritance tax and reducing
property tax. SD wishes to lower the tax rate for the elderly, as well as increase subsidised housing for the elderly. According to political scientist Johan Martinsson: "In economic terms, the party is more centrist and pragmatic, with a mixture of left and right-wing proposals".
Environment The party argues that, while Sweden should maintain its "active role in global climate cooperation", other countries should reduce their emissions, as it believes Sweden to already be doing enough on that front. and advocates keeping
nuclear power plants as a prominent energy source in Sweden, believing it to be an efficient way to
mitigate climate change. They also advocate investing in climate research internationally and funding climate action on a global scale. The party opposes EU influence over domestic laws on hunting, farming and forestry within Sweden, calling for such policies to be decided upon by rural Swedes instead of Brussels. SD is also critical of non-stun animal slaughter and want to ban the import of goods that contradict Swedish animal welfare legislation.
Foreign policy Defense SD wants to increase the number of
Swedish Army brigades to seven from 2021's two. However, following the
Russian invasion of Ukraine the SD leadership announced it would consider changing its policy to endorse NATO membership and support joining if
Finland also applied for NATO membership. It subsequently voted in favor for NATO membership in the Riksdag.
European Union The Sweden Democrats support close political co-operation within the
Nordic sphere, but are
Eurosceptic and against further
EU integration and cession of Swedish sovereignty to the
European Union. The party states that it supports European political and economic co-operation to secure trade and combat cross-border organized crime, illegal immigration,
Islamism, terrorism and environmental challenges but strongly opposes creating an
EU army or policies that could lead to the creation of a
Federal European Superstate. SD rejects joining the
Economic and Monetary Union by opposing the
Euro currency and favors keeping the
krona. They also seek to reduce Swedish financial contributions to Brussels, end Swedish participation in bailouts for other EU member states, renegotiate Swedish membership of the
Schengen Agreement and opt-out of common asylum agreements, protect freedom of speech and the
free access to the internet from EU copyright bills, and are against the
accession of Turkey to the European Union. The SD believes that if the EU cannot be reformed or attempts to transform itself into a Superstate, Sweden must immediately reconsider its membership via a referendum and prepare to leave the EU. The SD has also said it wants a Swedish exit from the EU be made possible by removing all references to membership in the constitution. In 2025, the Sweden Democrats stated that while they remain critical of the EU, they believe EU funds are necessary and pragmatic in the current climate for European military rearmament, with the party citing the war in Ukraine and deteriorating security situation between the United States and Europe.
Russia The SD has taken a strongly pro-Ukraine position following the
Russian invasion and has called on Sweden and Western governments to help the Ukrainian people defend their homeland. He also said that sees no limit on how much the EU should send to Ukraine, adding that he supports a
future Ukrainian membership in the EU. In 2022, an analysis of votes relating to Russia in the
European Parliament found that the Sweden Democrats were the 10th-most critical party in the parliament having voted against Russian interests 93 percent of the time. The report found that among all Swedish parties the Sweden Democrats were the most critical of Russia. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the party got rid of members who had previously expressed support for Putin.
Middle East The Sweden Democrats are supportive of
Israel. The party favors recognising
Jerusalem as Israel's capital and proposes moving the
Swedish embassy there. A study by the
European Coalition for Israel documented that SD had the most pro-Israel voting record of the Swedish parties in the European Parliament. In 2021, the Israeli government stated that they did not maintain relations with the SD due to "its roots in Nazism" but by 2023 had dropped its non-cooperation stance after SD representatives signed a document of principle with Israeli ministers pledging to combat antisemitism. Between 2023 and 2024, a delegation of senior SD members visited Israel to hold meetings with
Knesset politicians and discuss a cooperation pact with the
Likud party. The party has also taken a strongly pro-Israel position following the outbreak of the
Gaza war, supporting military action to remove Hamas and calling on the Swedish government to review all funding to Palestinian organizations which the SD accuse of spending aid money on terrorism.
Other regions In 2011, SD was the only Swedish political party to vote against Swedish involvement in the
2011 military intervention in Libya. SD also supports the creation of an
independent Kurdish state and for the
Armenian genocide to be formally recognised by the international community. Wiechel also proposed giving military support to Taiwan and said SD sees Taiwan as an independent state. Three SD-members of Parliament (
Markus Wiechel,
Björn Söder and
Nima Gholam Ali Pour) received "Certificate of Appreciation", an award from Taipei Mission in Sweden because of their commitment to strengthen Swedish-Taiwanese relations. SD politician and MEP
Charlie Weimers also enhanced Taiwan-EU relations through his motion, which got approval in the
European Parliament on closer cooperation between Taiwan and EU. == Election results ==