The Centre Party’s leader, Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, has launched a new attack on the Sweden Democrats (SD), arguing that the party’s views on migration and building society are mistaken—and that the rising support for SD is based on a dangerous analysis of society. According to the Centre leader, SD constitutes a threat to “liberal democracy.”

The background to the new attack is an interview that Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) conducted this spring with Kvartal, where she participated alongside an invited guest in an interview program. Their concept is that every party leader brings a guest, and for the Centre leader, it was Fredrik Hjelm, CEO and founder of the Swedish e-scooter giant Voi.

The main purpose was to discuss entrepreneurship in Sweden and emphasize that electric transport is the future. However, the plan took an unexpected turn when Hjelm expressed that the Sweden Democrats had been right about many things, especially on migration policy. The statement caused clear surprise during the interview and later led the Centre leader to distance herself from his reasoning.

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– I think there are quite a few things that the Sweden Democrats now say that I agree with—things I maybe didn’t agree with 10–15 years ago, said Fredrik Hjelm, and was then asked what exactly the party had been right about.

– For example on the migration issue, where in my view they had it very right, very early, he replied, as the Centre leader froze beside him.

In a new interview with Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) on Saturday, Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) elaborated on her views regarding Hjelm and other so-called “tech bros”—a term she uses for male start-up founders in the tech sector.

She argues that this group often has an SD-friendly analysis of societal problems but dismisses it as incorrect. According to her, trust in the Sweden Democrats as a solution to societal challenges is based on a risky and misleading analysis.

– The tech bros are wrong when they think you can build a society not based on trust, where people become suspicious of each other. That does not foster innovation. I think they are completely mistaken in their analyses, the Centre leader told SvD.

According to Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, the Sweden Democrats are the worst party—far worse than the Left Party. Why? Because, says the Centre leader, SD wants to build a society reminiscent of a nostalgic 1950s.

Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) and her guest Fredrik Hjelm. Photo: Centre Party press image / Voi press image

SD is a Threat to “Liberal Democracy”

Svenska Dagbladet then noted that former Centre Party leader Annie Lööf had, on several occasions, described the Sweden Democrats as a security risk in Sweden, but also as a threat to “liberal democracy.”

The term “liberal democracy” is often used in Swedish political debate to assert that liberal values are, in practice, the standard by which democracy should be measured. This means that political opponents who do not fully share liberal values—such as conservative or nationalist parties—are sometimes described as deviating from what is considered compatible with Western democracy—even though they are, of course, democrats.

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Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist was asked if the Sweden Democrats, Sweden’s second-largest party, are still a threat to democracy. The Centre leader began by saying that the pace of some ongoing legislative processes by the Tidö government is high, as it is considered important that the Sweden Democrats’ proposals be implemented immediately.

She also points out that the Tidö government’s proposals have been widely criticized by the Council on Legislation. SvD counters that Annie Lööf likely was not referring to criticism from government referral bodies when she spoke of SD as a threat to democracy.

According to the Centre leader, politicians must listen to authorities and institutions, rather than unilaterally deciding what is best for the country.

– Yes, but a liberal democracy is based on strong trust in our authorities and institutions. So we have to listen to them. That’s part of liberal democracy, said the Centre leader.

Cannot Criticize Public Service

But even expressing criticism of the taxpayer-funded public service organizations SVT and SR is regarded as a threat to “liberal democracy.”

READ ALSO: SVT on public service-critical demonstration: “They want to topple democracy”

This is because, she argues, such criticism “undermines trust,” and that these institutions should therefore be left alone to operate without political interference—even if there are objections that they sometimes neglect their duties or deviate from impartiality requirements.

– The other thing is having confidence in established media. All suspicion toward authorities and public service, above all—but also other established media—undermines trust in this society we have built. And that threatens liberal democracy, she said.

Afterwards, the Centre Party leader asserted that “the actions SD has taken show that they are a threat to liberal democracy.”

The Entrepreneur Responds: SD Was Right

Following the SvD publication, Voi founder Fredrik Hjelm commented on Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist’s remarks in a number of social media posts.

He emphasized that she had invited him and that she was aware of his views in advance. He further claimed it was irrelevant how the Centre leader now tries to blacken his name in the interview in order to save herself.

Hjelm also pointed out that Sweden’s politicians have ignored social problems for the past 20 years, and that, in his opinion, the Sweden Democrats have been correct in their analyses.