For several years, Samnytt has highlighted rapes and other forms of sexual abuse within elderly care, both through reporting on individual legal cases and investigations of official statistics. In the overwhelming majority of the cases we’ve reviewed, the perpetrators have been foreigners—migrants welcomed by both the Social Democrats and the Moderates, often requiring interpreters yet granted Swedish citizenship. Even though these parties share responsibility for allowing these individuals to remain in the country, and despite long ignoring the fact that deportation is seldom requested or enforced, Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) chooses to solely blame the Social Democrats for Sweden becoming a haven for convicted criminals. This, in spite of the fact that he himself was Fredrik Reinfeldt’s chief of staff and later a Member of Parliament during the migration chaos—the years of mass immigration, when Swedes were encouraged to “open their hearts.” He has also previously campaigned for open borders. In fact, Forssell was a driving force behind transforming the Moderate Party into a champion of mass immigration.

The Tidö government is often quick to boast about a so-called “paradigm shift” in criminal policy. Yet, even as the parliamentary term nears its end, much remains unfulfilled—mainly due to Sweden’s lengthy legislative process. Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped government party representatives from beating their chests, promoting various major initiatives to be rolled out. With less than a year until the election, it remains to be seen if these measures will become reality, especially as they could be reversed should the red-green bloc win.

READ MORE: Government’s New Judge Mohamed Blocks Deportation of Home Care Iraqi Who Raped 100-Year-Old

Even as voters are told a paradigm shift is underway, strange legal decisions continue to raise questions. This week, yet another foreign rapist, previously convicted, escaped deportation, including a man who assaulted a 100-year-old woman.

The court used the same old arguments as before, taking into account the perpetrator’s circumstances. Typical reasons include the convict being young at the time of the crimes, having lived in Sweden for a long time, or facing inhumane suffering in their home country—thus granting them the right to stay.

ALSO READ: Iraqi Charged With Home Care Rapes Wants Swedish Citizenship: “Lives Honestly and Has Integrated”

On Thursday, the Södertörn District Court delivered its verdict—the rapist can remain in the country. The justification was that the Iraqi man, previously denied Swedish citizenship due to other crimes, has lived a long time in Sweden and has a daughter here.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) seized the moment to profile himself on social media as a migration-critical minister, expressing outrage over criminal immigrants in Sweden. He emphasized that the blame for the current situation—and for why Sweden is as it is today—lies with the Social Democrats.

This can be seen as a form of historical revisionism; he seems to have forgotten that his own party, under leader and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt—where he held senior posts—was instrumental in shaping today’s Sweden and creating many of the problems now faced. During that era, no effective measures were taken against rising crime, which was allowed to continue undeterred in many areas.

The former Social Democratic government allowed Sweden to become a sanctuary for convicted criminals. That is deeply offensive. Next year, the government will present proposals making Sweden’s laws the toughest in the Nordics when it comes to deporting foreign citizens who have abused Swedish hospitality.

Johan Forssell (M), December 18, 2025.

Turned the Moderates Into a Mass Immigration Party

Migration Minister Johan Forssell didn’t suddenly emerge in the Moderates with the Tidö government’s rise to power in 2022 as pushed forward by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M). He’s a long-time veteran with experience from the Moderate Youth League (MUF), where he advocated open borders before rising to senior positions in the main party.

In fact, Forssell was one of the driving forces behind the transformation of the Moderates into a mass immigration party. As chairman of the Youth League, he participated in campaigns to get the party’s parliamentary group to “break the iron axis” with the Social Democrats so that together the country could be opened to mass immigration.

In 2005, Forssell spoke at a demonstration for “general amnesty,” held under the name “Refugee Amnesty 2005.” There, he not only called on his own party but especially the ruling Social Democrats to open up the country to immigration.

According to reporting by Swedish Radio, the campaign Forssell participated in to open the country to mass immigration included a broad network of immigrant organizations, churches, and political parties joining nationwide demonstrations.

Asylum activists carried placards saying “Show Some Empathy” and “Yes to Amnesty.” The aim was to highlight that all asylum seekers should receive residence permits.

“Hope the Social Democrats Open Up the Country to Immigration”

One of the speakers at the Sergels torg demonstration was Johan Forssell, chairman of the Moderate Youth League. He expressed his hope that the action would make an impact in Parliament.

– I hope the Moderates now push the demand for this general amnesty and that the Social Democrats begin opening up the country to immigration. The limited opportunities for people to migrate to Sweden drive many of the desperate refugee stories we read about in the newspapers, Forssell told SR.

The news agency TT also reported on the demonstration, interviewing Forssell at Sergels torg. TT reported verbatim that Forssell advocated for “free immigration.”

– I urge the Moderate parliamentary group to break the iron axis with the Social Democrats and give those harmed by the system a new chance, Forssell said at the refugee amnesty demonstration in 2005, according to TT.

In an invitation from Johan Forssell to the “Refugee Amnesty” demonstration, reviewed by Samnytt, the Tidö government’s current migration minister made several immigration activist statements.

Forssell notably raised the issue of “apathetic refugee children”—something many warned about but which later proved to be a significant scam to obtain residence permits in Sweden. Nevertheless, he argued this was a sign that “a more humane order” was needed in Sweden.

– The apathetic refugee children are just the latest victims of Sweden’s failed refugee policy. With a general amnesty, the suffering could end and an important step toward a more humane order could be taken. The next step is to open up for labor immigration, Forssell said.

ALSO READ: Migration Minister: Sweden Will Be Multicultural

Fought for Illegal Immigrants

Ahead of the same demonstration, which gathered about a thousand people to pressure the Moderates and Social Democrats to open the borders and simultaneously allow “thousands of hidden refugees”—that is, illegal immigrants—to stay in Sweden, he argued why this must happen.

– The Alien Appeals Board, which will be abolished at the turn of the year, leaves behind a heavy backlog of questionable cases and thousands of hidden refugees. Therefore, Sweden needs to grant a one-time amnesty to refugees whose applications have been mishandled. This would allow the new court system to start with a clean slate, Forssell said.

Forssell also admitted that most who come to Sweden are not actually refugees, but economic migrants. He claimed that nine out of ten asylum seekers in fact have no need for protection—but according to him, that does not matter, as they contribute to “building themselves a better future” and therefore the borders must remain open for them.

– Nine-tenths of asylum seekers coming to Sweden have no protection needs. This means the vast majority have come to our country to build a better future through work. That’s why it’s high time to open up for labor immigration. Then, the apathetic children’s families and many others could stay by allowing the parents the opportunity to work, Forssell said.

Became Reinfeldt’s Assistant

The year after Johan Forssell’s asylum activism, Fredrik Reinfeldt won the election. Not just anyone was appointed as Reinfeldt’s chief of staff—a role practically equivalent to being the prime minister’s right hand, with overarching responsibility within the Government Offices. Reinfeldt rewarded Forssell with this position. Forssell then continued his Moderate Party career, including as the party’s planning chief and later as a long-serving Member of Parliament.

During these years, Forssell was deeply involved in the party’s work and in shaping the political trajectory the Moderates steered for Sweden in Parliament. This included 2014, when Reinfeldt decided to open the borders and accept migrants at record levels—while telling Swedes that taxpayers’ money wouldn’t be available for other needs.

Before the September 14, 2014 election, Reinfeldt gave his now-famous speech at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm.

– This leads to debate back home in Sweden: what will it cost? I can say right now, it’s going to mean significant expenses, said Reinfeldt at a press conference, continuing:

– There will be substantial expenses associated with the people already arriving and those who will come over the coming years. It’s so significant, it will further restrict what is possible in public financing.

ALSO READ: Top Moderate Pushed for “Free Immigration” – Now Troubled as Migrants Take Space

In his Norrmalmstorg speech, the prime minister urged Swedes to show openness and tolerance. Johan Forssell never objected to the policies then pursued. On the contrary, he had for many years advocated open Swedish borders—and even argued that illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay.

– I now appeal to the Swedish people for patience, for you to open your hearts to see people in extreme distress, with threats to their own lives, fleeing—to Europe, to freedom, to better conditions.

– Show such openness, show such tolerance, when the comment is “there are so many, it’s so difficult, it’s so complicated.” Demonstrate tolerance. Show also that we’ve done this before.

At that time, in the middle of the migrant crisis, Johan Forssell sat in Sweden’s highest decision-making body, the parliament, and followed Fredrik Reinfeldt’s directives to multiculturalize Sweden to unprecedented levels. To this day, as migration minister in the Tidö government, Forssell has declared that Sweden is a multicultural country and that he sees no problem in distributing thousands of citizenships every month.

Tough Measures Against Nuns – Looks Away From Arab Chaos

After decades of policies pursued by the Moderates with Johan Forssell—and of course the Social Democrats too—public spaces in Sweden have changed dramatically. Some streets and squares now resemble Middle Eastern environments more than classic Swedish city centers.

Along with increased crime and the rise of new phenomena like humiliation violence, gang rapes, and now even rapes in elder care, the public sphere has also transformed.

It has become increasingly common with large crowds, spreading chaos and loudness linked to conflicts far from Sweden—from Gaza activists taking over streets and shopping centers, to Syrians celebrating their homeland’s liberation on Swedish streets while opting to stay and receive Swedish citizenship.

Even as Sweden becomes more unrecognizable, with clear signs of Islamization as a result of mass immigration, Forssell doesn’t seem particularly troubled. Instead, he appears eager to draw attention away from his own party’s responsibility for long-term social changes and focus on purely symbolic targets.

Most recently, this has involved targeting Belarusian nuns, visiting temporarily and selling handicrafts like mittens and Christmas items at various Christmas markets organized by the Swedish Church and municipalities. They’ve been accused of being a security threat and described as part of “Putin’s propaganda machine.”

READ MORE: Minister Silent on Arab Chaos – Wants to Throw Out Nuns Selling Mittens and Christmas Gifts Instead

Forssell went so far as to claim Sweden has no obligation to show hospitality to gift-selling nuns from the east. According to Forssell, the nuns should be expelled or stopped at the border—they should not be shown hospitality in Sweden. This is rhetoric he would never use for the migrants he and the Moderates have welcomed for years.

Morgan Johansson: “You Bloody Well Worked for Reinfeldt”

One of the few politicians to directly point out Forssell’s double standards—going from being an enthusiast for mass immigration, contributing to the Sweden seen today, to now being an immigration critic blaming the Social Democrats—is former Minister of Justice and Migration, Morgan Johansson.

– You bloody well worked for Fredrik Reinfeldt. You keep trying to escape that, Johansson whispered to Forssell in parliament.