Social Democratic representatives took part this spring in a meeting with Palestinian officials, where, according to Palestinian reporting, the Swedish election was on the agenda. Among the participants was Social Democratic MP Johan Büser. Former Sweden Democrats MP Thoralf Alfsson reacts both to the meeting and to the almost non-existent attention it has received in Swedish media. When Samnytt contacts Büser to ask why Swedish Social Democrats are discussing the Swedish election with Palestinian representatives, he ends the call.
It was author and debater Aron Flam who first highlighted the Palestinian report on the meeting, which was then picked up by Thoralf Alfsson, former Sweden Democrats MP and now engaged in Medborgerlig Samling.
The article was published by the Palestinian news site SadaNews on March 25. The reporting describes a meeting between Palestinian officials and Swedish Social Democrats. The Swedish election is among the topics that, according to the article, were discussed.
This particular point sparked Alfsson’s reaction. That Swedish parliamentary politicians have contacts with foreign political officials is not in itself uncommon. What raises questions is why the Swedish election was discussed in such a context, what exactly was said, and what interest both parties had in the conversation.
One of the Swedish participants who can be identified is Johan Büser (S).
Büser has served in the Swedish parliament since 2014 representing the City of Gothenburg. He is, among other roles, a substitute member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of Sweden’s delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He has also been repeatedly engaged in issues relating to Israel and Palestine.
“Surprised but Not Surprised”
When Samnytt talks to Thoralf Alfsson, he describes his first reaction to the information.
– One is surprised, but at the same time not surprised. The Social Democrats are always involved in this with different groups, especially concerning MENA groups, he says.
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The thing that first made Alfsson react most strongly was, however, another name.
The Palestinian article also named Johan Persson, the long-time Social Democratic strongman in Kalmar, as a participant. For Alfsson, who himself lives in Kalmar and has long scrutinized the local Social Democrats, this claim caught his interest immediately. But when he started examining the material more closely, questions arose.
In a photo of people who attended the meeting, Alfsson could identify Johan Büser. He then began to suspect that the Palestinian article could have mixed up the two Swedish names.
– Then I started thinking about it, it doesn’t quite add up, says Alfsson.
He therefore decided to contact Johan Persson directly and also sent links so Persson could see for himself what was claimed.
The answer, according to Alfsson, was unequivocal.
– He directly denied it. And I actually trust that that’s the case.
Alfsson thus today assumes that Johan Persson did not participate and that the Palestinian report likely contains a name mix-up.
But for him, that doesn’t change the fundamental issue.
One is surprised but at the same time not surprised. The Social Democrats are always involved in this with different groups, especially concerning MENA groups.
Thoralf Alfsson (MED), Kalmar
– That doesn’t diminish things. Because it is still the Social Democrats having talks with the PLO half a year before the election.
What Was Discussed About the Swedish Election?
The central question thus becomes what the conversation actually was about. How important was the Swedish election for the meeting? Who raised the issue? And what did the Palestinian and Swedish participants seek to achieve?
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On this point, Alfsson is clear about the limits of his knowledge.
– I can’t say that it’s clear. I only have what you can see for yourself. What is written in the article.
He emphasizes that he has no further information from any of the participants.
– I don’t have any more information than that.
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Alfsson also says he hasn’t conducted any major investigation of the meeting itself. He has relied on the Palestinian article and related materials.
This means key questions remain unanswered – who initiated the meeting, who exactly participated, why the election was discussed, and what was said when the subject came up.
Links the Meeting to the Competition for Muslim Voters
For Alfsson, the meeting also fits into a bigger political pattern he claims to have observed for many years. He points to the Social Democrats’ relationship with Muslim organizations and representatives and says the party has long been keen to mobilize voters in groups where S enjoys strong support.
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It’s highly likely, he says regarding the theory that vote mobilization could have played a role.
Thoralf Alfsson (MED), Kalmar
In his home municipality of Kalmar, Alfsson has repeatedly scrutinized the Social Democrats’ relationship with Muslim leaders and the mosque being built in Norrliden.
He has previously claimed that the Social Democrats used the land issue for a mosque to win votes. Alfsson points, for example, to the timing of the land reservation process after the 2022 election and the Social Democrats’ electoral efforts in Norrliden, also reported by Samnytt.
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He also highlights Social Democrat candidates with strong local ties in the area as examples of what he sees as a deliberate effort to mobilize voters.
However, Alfsson provides no evidence that the PLO meeting was about a similar deal. The connection is his own political assessment.
– It’s highly likely, he says regarding the theory that vote mobilization could have played a role.
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Reacts to the Media Silence
Alfsson finds the Swedish media coverage just as remarkable as the meeting itself. Despite the Palestinian article being published back in March and Swedish MPs being identifiable among the participants, he says he has not seen any significant attention to the information in established Swedish media.
– I haven’t seen this taken up by any other media, the usual mainstream outlets. And that actually surprises me.
Alfsson goes further and suspects that the silence may have political causes.
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– I think the mainstream media don’t want to put the Social Democrats in a difficult situation before the election.
This is Alfsson’s own conclusion. But the lack of answers about what was discussed means the questions surrounding the meeting remain. If the information in the Palestinian reporting is correct, Swedish Social Democratic politicians participated in a discussion with Palestinian officials where the upcoming Swedish election was discussed. What that discussion consisted of, however, is still unclear.
Identifies Johan Büser (S) as Key Figure
To get to the bottom of the matter, Alfsson believes that one person in particular should answer questions – Johan Büser.
– The person one should really probe is him, Johan Büser, then.
There’s nothing to say, I have nothing to hide about this, but I have no comment to you on it.
Johan Büser (S), who attended PLO meeting about the Swedish election
Büser, according to Alfsson, is visible in material from the meeting and thus has the opportunity to explain what happened himself. Alfsson argues that the first question needn’t really be any more complicated than this:
– What did you want to achieve with this meeting?
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From there, several other questions follow. Who invited Büser? Did he participate as an individual Member of Parliament or as a representative of the Social Democrats? Which Palestinian officials participated? Who brought up the Swedish election? Were Swedish voter groups discussed? And was the Social Democrats’ party leadership informed about the meeting?
Hangs Up When Samnytt Asks
Samnytt, therefore, contacts Johan Büser. The purpose is to let him give his own account of the meeting and clarify why he participated, who he met, and what was actually discussed about the Swedish election.
Johan Büser (S), born 1983, is a lawyer and MP for the City of Gothenburg since 2014. He is a substitute member of the Foreign Affairs and Labor Market Committees as well as a member of the parliament delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, where he was previously chair and, during the current term, vice chair. Büser has also been on the Transport, Environment and Agriculture, and EU Committees, among others.
You participated together with Morgan Johansson (S) in a meeting with the PLO earlier this year, where it is said that the Swedish election was discussed. Why did you take part and what was the purpose of the meeting?
– Where are you calling from?
I’m calling from Samnytt.
– Oh, I have no comment for you on that.
Why don’t you want to comment?
– There’s nothing to say, I have nothing to hide about this, but I have no comment to you on it.
After that, the Social Democrat hangs up.
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He thus offers no explanation as to why he took part or what the conversation about the Swedish election was about. As a result, the questions raised by the Palestinian reporting still remain unanswered.
Was the meeting part of normal foreign policy exchange, or was there a specific aim in discussing the Swedish election? What interest did Palestinian officials have in the Swedish election? What did the Social Democratic participants hope to achieve? And why is a Swedish MP who participated unwilling to answer questions on the matter?