Sweden faces new challenges in crime and integration

As Sweden grapples with the complex challenges of immigration, integration, and organised crime, recent statistics reveal a notable shift in migration patterns.

The number of immigrants in Sweden has reached its lowest point in years, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In early August, Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard announced that Statistics Sweden, the government's official statistics agency, reported that between January and May 2024, 5,700 more people left Sweden than moved in. Stenergard noted that this trend is likely to continue, with the number of asylum applications at its lowest since 1997. This isn’t the first time Sweden has experienced such a significant drop in asylum applications; in 2016, there were 28,939 asylum seekers, a sharp decrease from the 162,877 applications in 2015.

Government tightened migration policies in 2016

The decline in immigration figures can be traced back to a significant shift in government policy. In late 2015, the ruling Social Democrats moved away from Sweden's previously liberal stance on immigration and integration, which had welcomed many asylum-seekers from conflict-ridden countries like the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Somalia. The government introduced much stricter migration policies.

Since October 2022, Sweden has been governed by a minority administration led by conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, with support from the far-right nationalist Sweden Democrats. According to Bernd Parusel, a Swedish migration expert, in a report by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education, Sweden implemented various measures due to significant "bottlenecks in registering, finding accommodation for, and caring for asylum-seekers entering the country."

Parusel noted that the measures focused first on restricting access to Swedish territory for those seeking asylum. The second focus was on the criteria for granting asylum and the associated legal implications. Finally, the government aimed to encourage voluntary returns and ensure consistent deportations.

Iraqis, Somalis and Syrians leaving Sweden

According to the Swedish government's latest press release, increasing numbers of individuals originally from Iraq, Somalia, or Syria are now leaving the country. It's unclear how many of these voluntary departures are reflected in the recent migration statistics. However, Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard believes that the drop in numbers is a direct result of the stricter policies implemented over the past eight years. "The government's efforts are bearing fruit," she stated.

The reasons behind why immigrants are leaving remain uncertain. In 2017, Bernd Parusel explained that making life difficult for asylum-seekers forced to leave Sweden is not an effective strategy for encouraging voluntary departures. He argued that withholding benefits and accommodation would only lead to more social hardship.

Migration Minister Stenergard emphasised that managing immigration levels is essential for improving integration. While it might seem logical that fewer immigrants would make integration easier, Parusel pointed out that making Sweden less attractive to immigrants by keeping them uncertain about their prospects, while simultaneously promoting faster and better integration, is not an effective approach.

Sweden struggling to deal with organised crime

However, the persistence of organized crime suggests that stricter immigration controls have not resolved all issues. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has made it a priority to address this problem, blaming it on the previous government's "irresponsible immigration policy and failed integration."

Sweden has been grappling for years with criminal organisations that primarily fund themselves through drug trafficking and fraud. This has led to fatal shootings, bomb attacks, and incidents where innocent bystanders are caught in the crossfire.

These violent incidents often occur in poorer neighborhoods with higher concentrations of migrants. However, experts largely attribute the crime to high unemployment rates, lack of opportunities, and poverty.