Editing Sweden Democrats (section)

== Public profile and controversies ==
=== Early image ===
During the 1980s and early 1990s, several outspoken [[Far-right politics|far-right]] and [[Nazism|Nazi]]<ref name="svd.se"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="aftonbladet.se"/> advocates were involved with the party.<ref name="autogenerated10" /><ref name="autogenerated11">{{cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/9912/02/nazi1.html|title=Ett nätverk för nazister|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=2 December 1999|access-date=25 May 2006|language=sv|archive-date=15 February 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050215181944/http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/9912/02/nazi1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was founded by, among others, the Swedish [[Waffen-SS]] veteran [[Gustaf Ekström]]<ref name="svd.se"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="aftonbladet.se"/> and members of both older Nazi and [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] organisations. In its early days, the SD also had a reputation for attracting biker and skinhead gangs to its rallies before dissociating itself with neo-Nazi and skinhead movements in the mid-1990s. The party had flyers printed by the [[French National Front]] in the 1998 general election,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_2275826.asp |title=Extremparti får mothugg |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |date=4 May 2002 |access-date=25 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310201400/http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_2275826.asp |archive-date=10 March 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sverigedemokraterna.se/sd/asikter_skolwebb_utl.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040617030323/http://www.sverigedemokraterna.se/sd/asikter_skolwebb_utl.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 June 2004|title=Sverigedemokraternas utländska kontakter|website=Sverigedemokraterna.se|access-date=25 May 2006|language=sv}}</ref> and was financially backed for the 2004 European election by Belgian businessman and racial conspiracy theorist [[Bernard Mengal]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://hd.se/inrikes/2004/01/27/extremist-ska-finansiera-sd-s-eu/|title=Extremist ska finansiera sd:s EU-val|magazine=Helsingborgs Dagblad|date=27 January 2004|access-date=8 November 2010|language=sv|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716025526/http://hd.se/inrikes/2004/01/27/extremist-ska-finansiera-sd-s-eu/|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=128678|title=Sverigedemokraterna får miljoner av rik rasist|newspaper=Expressen|date=24 April 2004|access-date=25 May 2006|language=sv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050903123734/http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=128678|archive-date=3 September 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the 1990s, the party was a member of the ''[[Euronat]]'' initiative which was set up by [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]] before severing ties with it in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.populismstudies.org/the-sweden-democrats-killer-of-swedish-exceptionalism/ |title=The Sweden Democrats: Killer of Swedish Exceptionalism |date=3 August 2020 |access-date=2025-02-10}}</ref> However, as part of the moderation process the Sweden Democrats began expelling extreme far-right members from the early 2000s onwards and updated the party constitution to include clauses against racism, extremism and criminal behaviour in 2010. Since the 2010s, the SD has also sought to distance itself from far-right parties in Europe, including turning down an invitation to join an alliance in the [[European Parliament]] with the French National Front in 2014 and choosing to ally themselves with more moderate parties during the 2014 and 2019 European elections.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.europa.eu/en/national-results/sweden/2014-2019/constitutive-session/ |title=Sweden |access-date=2025-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/36661/chapter-abstract/321675362?redirectedFrom=fulltext |title=Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy: An Acceptable Marriage of Convenience |date=January 2020 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/oso/9780197500859.003.0004 |isbn=978-0-19-750085-9 |access-date=2025-02-10}}</ref>

=== Isolation in parliament ===
Both before and after the [[2010 Swedish general election]] all the major parties, including the [[Swedish Social Democrats]] and the [[Moderate Party]], declared they would not collaborate or work with the Sweden Democrats. The move was described by international pundits as an unofficial ''[[Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire]]''.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.thelocal.se/20100921/29156| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171020140802/https://www.thelocal.se/20100921/29156| archive-date = 20 October 2017| title = Economy trumps welfare worries in tight Swedish election – The Local}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/09/03/how-the-rise-of-the-swedish-radical-right-changed-the-most-stable-party-system-in-europe/|title=How the rise of the Swedish radical right changed the most stable party system in Europe|date=3 September 2018|access-date=21 February 2021|archive-date=1 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301075055/https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/09/03/how-the-rise-of-the-swedish-radical-right-changed-the-most-stable-party-system-in-europe/|url-status=live}}</ref> The policy of non-cooperation was kept in place for the [[2014 Swedish general election]]. However, at a local level other parties from the Moderates to the [[Left Party (Sweden)|Left Party]] have collaborated or voted in favour of SD initiatives.<ref name="Murray"/> Following the 2018 general election, which saw the disintegration of the centre-right [[Alliance (Sweden)|Alliance]], Christian Democrats leader [[Ebba Busch]] and Moderates leader [[Ulf Kristersson]] signaled an end to the non-cooperation policy and began talks with the SD. The policy of non-cooperation was officially scrapped by the Moderates, Christian Democrats and The Liberals for the 2022 election when all four parties signed the [[Tidö Agreement]].<ref name="auto5"/><ref name="auto3"/>

=== Media boycotts ===
The Sweden Democrats have complained about difficulties buying advertising space before elections due to the media banning the party from advertising and have accused media outlets of political bias and trying to censor or limit the party's campaign messages during elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bhhrg.org/CountryReport.asp?ChapterID=239&CountryID=51&ReportID=83|title=Swedish General Election 2002 : media coverage|publisher=[[British Helsinki Human Rights Group]]|access-date=1 August 2006|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927212926/http://www.bhhrg.org/CountryReport.asp?ChapterID=239&CountryID=51&ReportID=83|archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> This has been criticised by free speech organisations in Sweden and abroad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internationalfreepresssociety.org/2009/09/locking-out-the-sweden-democrats/|title=Locking Out the Sweden Democrats|publisher=International Free Press Society (IFPS)|date=18 September 2009|access-date=8 November 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803193403/http://www.internationalfreepresssociety.org/2009/09/locking-out-the-sweden-democrats/|archive-date=3 August 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 16 June 2006, ''[[Dagens Nyheter]]'' and ''[[Svenska Dagbladet]]'' decided to stop their boycott. ''[[Expressen]]'', however, still{{when|date=January 2021}} retains a ban on Sweden Democrat advertising.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/fritt-fram-for-sverigedemokraterna-att-annonsera/ |title=Fritt fram för Sverigedemokraterna att annonsera |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=16 June 2006 |access-date=1 August 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714092722/http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/fritt-fram-for-sverigedemokraterna-att-annonsera-1.654627 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref> During the [[2010 Swedish general election]], broadcaster [[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] refused to air a Sweden Democrats campaign video which depicted a Swedish pensioner being outrun by [[burqa|burka]]-clad women with [[Baby transport|prams]].<ref name=aljazeera>{{Cite news |title=Far-right tests Swedish tolerance |first=Cajsa |last=Wikstrom |newspaper=[[Al Jazeera English]] |date=19 September 2010 |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/2010/09/201091691137186652.html |access-date=20 September 2010 |archive-date=17 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317113811/http://english.aljazeera.net//indepth/2010/09/201091691137186652.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/XkRRdth8AHc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20100905194156/http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=XkRRdth8AHc Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|last=((SDReklam2010))|title=Sverigedemokraternas valfilm 2010|date=26 August 2010|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XkRRdth8AHc|access-date=22 October 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> TV4's decision was criticized by both free speech advocates and politicians from Denmark, including by [[Danish People's Party]] leader [[Pia Kjærsgaard]], [[Venstre (Denmark)|Venstre]] and the [[Conservative People's Party (Denmark)|Conservative People's Party]] (the latter of whom reacted to TV4's decision to ban the video by calling for international election observers to be sent to Sweden), and by members of the Norwegian [[Progress Party (Norway)|Progress Party]] who called the decision a "violation of democratic rules". The SD subsequently uploaded the video to [[YouTube]] where it was viewed over a million times.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=10026922|work=[[Verdens Gang]] (NTB)|title=Frp: – Svensk brudd på demokratiske spilleregler|date=31 August 2010|access-date=1 November 2010|language=no|archive-date=5 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905142841/http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/norsk-politikk/artikkel.php?artid=10026922|url-status=live}}</ref> Swedish political journalist Hanne Kjöller argued that attempts to censor the SD in 2010 by the media and left-wing protest groups ultimately backfired and ended up [[Streisand effect|emboldening their support by giving them more publicity]].<ref>[https://www.dn.se/ledare/signerat/sverigedemokraterna-blommogram-till-extremvanstern/ "Sverigedemokraterna: Blommogram till extremvänstern"]  ''Dagens Nyheter'' 18 September 2010</ref><ref name=aft>{{cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article3795398.ece|work=[[Aftenposten]]|title=Skandinavisk "krig" før valget|first=Jon Robin|last=Halle|date=3 September 2010|access-date=1 November 2010|language=no|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906144500/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article3795398.ece|archive-date=6 September 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,715107,00.html Danish Politicians Call for Election Observers in Sweden] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212063619/http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,715107,00.html |date=12 December 2010 }} ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' 1 September 2010</ref>

=== Muhammad cartoon debate ===
After the Danish daily newspaper ''[[Jyllands-Posten]]'' published twelve cartoons depicting [[Muhammad]] and ignited [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|a controversy]] during the{{nbsp}}2005 autumn and winter, the Sweden Democrats gave their unreserved support to the publication with reference to the [[freedom of speech]]. SD{{nbsp}}stated that it saw no reason why a Danish newspaper should be forced to abide by Muslim rules and prohibitions regarding expression. When the boycott of Danish products was launched in the Middle East, SD{{nbsp}}launched a "Buy Danish" campaign in support of Danish workers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sverigedemokraterna.net/kampanj_dk.php?action=fullnews&id=569|title=Stöd Danmark—Köp danskt!|website=Sverigedemokraterna.se|date=13 February 2006|access-date=25 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502182151/http://www.sverigedemokraterna.net/kampanj_dk.php?action=fullnews&id=569<!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=2 May 2006|language=sv}}</ref>{{third-party inline|date=September 2012}} In 2006 SD entered [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|the Muhammad cartoon debate]] by publishing a cartoon depicting Muhammad on its youth league (SDU) and ''SD-Kuriren'' ({{IPA|sv|ˈɛ̂sːdeːkɵˌriːrɛn|pron|Sv-SD-Kuriren.ogg}}) websites. The cartoon showed Muhammad from behind holding a mirror in front of his face. However, instead of any facial features, the mirror showed only a blank head. The cartoon was captioned "Muhammad's Face" ({{langx|sv|Muhammeds ansikte|links=no}} {{IPA|sv|mɵˈhǎmːɛds ˈânːsɪktɛ||Sv-Muhammeds ansikte.ogg}}).<ref name="autogenerated44">{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/muhammedteckningar-borta-efter-saposamtal/ |title=Muhammedteckningar borta efter Säposamtal |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=10 February 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206050438/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/muhammedteckningar-borta-efter-saposamtal-1.628077 |archive-date=6 December 2009 }}</ref>

The publication attracted the attention of the Swedish government, which informed internet service provider ''Levonline'' about the SD's publications. Subsequently, ''Levonline'' shut down SD's web page. The [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)|Minister for Foreign Affairs]], [[Laila Freivalds]], denied any direct interference. However, at the same time, Laila Freivalds condemned the publication as a provocation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/regeringen-har-inte-varit-inblandad/ |title=Regeringen har inte varit inblandad |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=10 February 2006 |access-date=26 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714092716/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/regeringen-har-inte-varit-inblandad-1.674039 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sapo-forsvarar-beslut-att-stanga-sd-sajt/ |title=Säpo försvarar beslut att stänga SD-sajt |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=10 February 2006 |access-date=26 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714092606/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sapo-forsvarar-beslut-att-stanga-sd-sajt-1.773593 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/mycket-kravs-for-sajtstangning/ |title=Mycket krävs för sajtstängning |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=10 February 2006 |access-date=26 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714092711/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/mycket-kravs-for-sajtstangning-1.681494 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sapo-lagger-locket-pa/ |title=Säpo lägger locket på |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=10 February 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714092726/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sapo-lagger-locket-pa-1.659632 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref> Freivalds then resigned from the [[Persson Cabinet]] after being accused of interference with press freedom and lying about such actions.

This event spurred debate on government censorship in Sweden. The Sweden Democrats also had a [[hate speech]] charge filed against them due to the posted caricature.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/centerpartist-polisanmaler-sverigedemokraterna/ |title=Centerpartist polisanmäler Sverigedemokraterna |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=14 February 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714092705/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/centerpartist-polisanmaler-sverigedemokraterna-1.505666 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref> Similar hate speech charges were filed against other Swedish publishers who had depicted Muhammad.<ref name="autogenerated44" /> However, these charges were immediately deemed to be unfounded by the [[Chancellor of Justice (Sweden)|Swedish Chancellor of Justice]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_11790299.asp |title=Kritik mot stängning av nättidning |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |date=10 February 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060428051354/http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_11790299.asp |archive-date=28 April 2006 }}</ref>

The Sweden Democrats originally planned to publish a set of cartoons in their newspaper ''SD-Kuriren''. However, after the controversy erupted, Jimmie Åkesson issued a statement on SD's website on 9 February 2006, stating that they would refrain from further publications online and in print, due to concerns that publishing might spur hostile actions against Swedes and Swedish interests.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1369|title=Vädjanden från landsmän fick oss att stanna upp|publisher=SD Kuriren|date=9 February 2006|access-date=25 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908135455/http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1369<!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=8 September 2006|language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1372|title=Sverigedemokratisk Ungdom tar bort bilder efter samtal med SÄPO|publisher=SD Kuriren|date=10 February 2006|access-date=25 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060922073908/http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1372<!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=22 September 2006|language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1368|title=Sverigedemokraterna avstår från vidare publicering av Muhammedbilder av hänsyn till svenska liv|publisher=SD Kuriren|date=9 February 2006|access-date=25 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807130853/http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1368<!--Manually retrieved archive-->|archive-date=7 August 2007|language=sv}}</ref>{{third-party inline|date=September 2012}}

The shutdown of the Sweden Democrats' websites was reported to the [[Committee on the Constitution]] by the [[Liberals (Sweden)|Liberal People's Party]] leader [[Lars Leijonborg]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/stangning-av-sd-sajt-till-ku/ |title=Stängning av SD-sajt till KU |newspaper=Dagens Nyheter |date=11 February 2006 |access-date=25 May 2006 |language=sv |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824025713/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/stangning-av-sd-sajt-till-ku-1.760849 |archive-date=24 August 2010 }}</ref> SD filed complaints against the [[Swedish Security Service|Security Service]] (''Säpo'') and the [[Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)|Ministry for Foreign Affairs]] with the ''Justitiekansler'' and ''[[Parliamentary Ombudsman|Justitieombudsmannen]]'', alleging that the government's interference was unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1371|title=Sverigedemokraterna anmäler UD och SÄPO till JO och JK|access-date=25 May 2006|publisher=SD Kuriren|date=10 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060921180848/http://www.sdkuriren.se/nyheter.php?action=fullnews&id=1371<!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=21 September 2006|language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite report |title=Fråga om Säkerhetspolisen eller Utrikesdepartementet agerat i strid med yttrandefrihetsgrundlagens censurförbud |date=24 March 2006 |url=https://www.jk.se/beslut-och-yttranden/2006/03/1319-06-21/ |publisher=[[Chancellor of Justice (Sweden)|Chancellor of Justice]] |id=Registration number 21 June 1319|language=Swedish}}</ref>{{third-party inline|date=September 2012}} The spokesperson of the [[Green Party (Sweden)|Green Party]], [[Peter Eriksson (politician)|Peter Eriksson]], also criticised the involvement of the [[Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)|Ministry for Foreign Affairs]] in the event.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Inte UD:s ansvar stänga SD-sajt |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/inte-uds-ansvar-stanga-sd-sajt/ |last=Sedvallson |first=Kerstin |date=11 February 2006 |access-date=11 August 2022 |work=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |language=Swedish}}</ref>

=== Racist incidents and expulsions ===
The Sweden Democrats have, among all Swedish parliamentary parties, had the largest share of elected municipal representatives resign since the 2010 elections (27.8%).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/hot-tommer-sd-stolar-i-kommunerna/|title=Hot tömmer SD-stolar i kommunerna – DN.SE|date=9 November 2011|newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]]|language=sv-se|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref> Many of these resignations were brought on by racist statements or actions by these representatives.<ref name=":0" />

In November 2012, party spokesperson [[Erik Almqvist]] resigned after he had been caught on tape making racist and sexist statements.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/almqvist-tvingades-bort-efter-filmen/|title=Almqvist tvingades bort efter filmen|newspaper=Expressen|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref> In November 2012, parliamentarian [[Lars Isovaara]] resigned after accusing two people of foreign origin of stealing his bag (which Isovaara had left at a restaurant) and then proceeding to verbally abuse a security guard of a foreign background.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/sd-backar-om-stold-fran-isovaara|title=SD backar om "stöld" från Isovaara|last=TT|newspaper=SvD.se|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref> Isovaara's replacement in parliament, [[Markus Wiechel]], was found in April 2013 to have referred to a group of black people as "monkeys" in a Facebook comment back in 2011. Wiechel later apologised and stated the comment had been in reference to a video of a tribal witch burning in Africa.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thelocal.se/20130426/47570|title=Sweden Democrat MP in racist Facebook chat|date=26 April 2013|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref>

In March 2013, 12 individuals were thrown out of the party for their involvement in [[Nazism in Sweden|neo-Nazi]] or other extremist movements.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/tolv-personer-utesluts-ur-sd|title=Tolv personer utesluts ur SD|last=TT|newspaper=SvD.se|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref> In November 2013, parliamentarian and then vice party leader [[Jonas Åkerlund (politician)|Jonas Åkerlund]] gained attention for having called immigrants "parasites" during a broadcast on SD's own radio station in 2002, after the recording was publicly rediscovered. In his defence, Åkerlund stated that he only said it to provoke people.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article17830641.ab|title=SD-toppens rasistiska uttalanden|newspaper=Aftonbladet.se|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref> In September 2014, the party chairman of the local [[Stockholm]] branch, [[Christoffer Dulny]] was asked to resign from his position after it was found he had previously posted mocking comments about immigrants, calling them "shameless liars" on [[Alternative media|alternative media sites]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/expressen-avslojar/har-ar-sd-toppens-inlagg-pa-hatsajten/|title=Här är SD-toppens inlägg på hatsajten|newspaper=Expressen.se|access-date=9 February 2017}}</ref> He also resigned from parliament on the same day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/christoffer-dulny-lamnar-fler-uppdrag/|title=Christoffer Dulny lämnar fler uppdrag|newspaper=Expressen.se|access-date=9 February 2017}}</ref>

In October 2016, a video of the parliamentarian and economic policy spokesperson [[Oscar Sjöstedt]] laughing at [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]] jokes was released by a former school friend of his who also accused Sjöstedt of chanting fascist slogans. Whilst at a party believed to have been organized by the neo-Nazi group ''[[Info-14]]'' in 2011 when Sjöstedt was a member of the SD's youth wing, he laughingly told a story about former co-workers with [[Nazism|Nazi]] sympathies mocking Jews and comparing them to sheep. Following an investigation by the SD, Sjöstedt stated that a friend had invited him to the party but he had walked out upon discovering who had organized it and denied expressing fascist statements.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SD-toppen gick på en nazistspelning 2005|url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/sd-toppen-gick-pa-en-nazistspelning-2005/|access-date=23 January 2021|website=www.expressen.se|date=11 October 2016 |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|last2=|date=11 October 2016|title=Oscar Sjöstedt gick på nazistspelning|url=https://www.di.se/nyheter/oscar-sjostedt-gick-pa-nazistspelning/|access-date=23 January 2021|website=Dagens industri|language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/har-skamtar-sjostedt-sd-grovt-om-judar/|title=Här skämtar Sjöstedt (SD) grovt om judar|newspaper=Expressen.se|access-date=14 February 2017}}</ref> During the same month, the parliamentarian and second deputy party leader [[Carina Ståhl Herrstedt|Carina Herrstedt]] was confronted with having sent an allegedly [[Racism|racist]], [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]], [[Homophobia|homophobic]] and [[Anti-Romanyism|anti-romanyist]] email to her then spouse in 2011. The email, which had been leaked from the party's internal servers, for instance contained phrases that named black [[association football|football]] players from the team [[Landskrona BoIS]] as "[[nigger]]s" whilst also picturing [[Romani people]] as thieves. The email was meant to be playful and ironic, Herrstedt told [[Aftonbladet]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/kvallsposten/sd-toppens-skamt-om-judar-och-romer/|title=SD-toppens "skämt" om judar och romer|newspaper=Aftonbladet.se|access-date=14 February 2017}}</ref>

Between 2015 and 2016, various members of the party were expelled from the SD for expressing extremist or racist views,<ref name="thelocal2">{{cite news |date=22 April 2015 |title=Sweden Democrat youth leaders face expulsion |url=https://www.thelocal.se/20150422/sweden-democrat-youth-leaders-face-expulsion |work=[[The Local]] |location=[[Stockholm]] |access-date=2 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="SVR2">{{cite news |date=5 December 2016 |title=Sweden Democrats expel MP after antisemitism accusations |url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6580112 |work=[[Sveriges Radio]] |location=[[Stockholm]] |access-date=2 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="Heinisch">{{cite book |last1=Heinisch |first1=Reinhard |last2=Mazzoleni |first2=Oscar |date=2016 |title=Understanding Populist Party Organisation: The Radical Right in Western Europe |location=London |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |pages=204–207 |isbn=978-1-137-58196-9 }}</ref> or because of disagreement with the party's shift towards [[Centrism|moderation]] and [[social conservatism]].<ref name="Heinisch"/> In April 2015, the [[Sweden Democratic Youth]] leaders were also expelled for these reasons,<ref name="thelocal2"/><ref name="Heinisch"/> and the organisation was dissolved shortly after with the mother party issuing a warning for remaining SDU members to leave the youth wing or be expelled from the party.<ref name="Heinisch"/> In December 2016, the parliamentarian [[Anna Hagwall]] was thrown out of the party after using arguments associated with [[antisemitism]] to argue for a bill that she introduced in parliament intended to reduce [[concentration of media ownership]] in Sweden.<ref name="SVR2"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/sverigedemokraterna-utesluter-anna-hagwall/|title=Sverigedemokraterna utesluter Anna Hagwall – DN.SE|date=5 December 2016|newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]]|language=sv-se|access-date=15 January 2017}}</ref>

In September 2017, a report from ''Dagens ETC'' found that 14 former municipal representatives of the party had infiltrated the SD in order to financially support the [[Nordic Resistance Movement]],<ref name="ETC1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.etc.se/inrikes/sd-topp-medlem-i-nazistgrupp-en-god-sak|title=SD-topp medlem i nazistgrupp: "En god sak"|date=12 September 2017|newspaper=ETC|access-date=2 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="ETC2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.etc.se/inrikes/har-ar-sd-politikerna-som-stottat-nazistgruppen-nmr|title=Här är SD-politikerna som stöttat nazistgruppen NMR|date=12 September 2017|newspaper=ETC|access-date=2 September 2018}}</ref> a neo-Nazi organisation, through [[financial transaction]]s,<ref name="ETC1"/><ref name="ETC2"/> memberships,<ref name="ETC1"/><ref name="ETC2"/> or purchases of antisemitic and racist literature or souvenirs.<ref name="ETC1"/><ref name="ETC2"/> In August 2018, 2 members were kicked out due to purchases of [[Nazi memorabilia]] online;<ref name="SVR3">{{cite news |date=30 August 2018 |title=Two Sweden Democrats kicked out of party for Nazi purchases, Hitler support |url=https://www.thelocal.se/20180830/two-sweden-democrats-kicked-out-of-party-for-nazi-purchases-hitler-support |work=[[Sveriges Radio]] |location=[[Stockholm]]}}</ref> following the expulsions, Michael Erlandsson, one of the SD's spokespeople,<ref name="SVR3"/> publicly stated that people who "have these types of views and share these types of materials" have no place in the party and that the SD maintains a zero-tolerance stance on expressing fascist views.<ref name="SVR3"/> 14 candidates were expelled from the party as well after being exposed as former members of neo-Nazi organisations.<ref name="Expressen">{{cite news |last1=Baas |first1=David |last2=Rogvall |first2=Filippa |date=31 August 2018 |title=14 SD-politiker lämnar – efter nazistavslöjanden |url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/fjorton-sd-politiker-lamnar-efter-nazistavslojanden/ |work=[[Expressen]] |location=[[Stockholm]]}}</ref> Referring to the latest expulsions, SD leader [[Jimmie Åkesson]] declared that the party "works extremely hard to keep clean".<ref name="Expressen"/>

In 2017, Martin Strid, party spokesman in [[Borlänge]], appeared to state at a televised SD rally that Muslims were not "fully human" and humane. Strid's comments were met with condemnation within the SD. Åkesson and SD party secretary [[Richard Jomshof]] described them as racist, with Jomshof stating the SD advocates ideological criticism, but not violating human rights. SD board member [[Aron Emilsson]] said that Strid would face a disciplinary meeting for violating the party's code of conduct. In response, Strid said he had expressed himself "clumsily" but chose to quit the party after being given an ultimatum to resign or be expelled.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/swedish-politician-muslims-not-completely-human-martin-strid-mohammedan-sverigedemokraterna-a8077521.html |title=Swedish politician forced to resign after saying Muslims are 'not fully human'|website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=27 November 2017 |access-date=2024-09-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/muslims-sweden-martin-strid-muslims-not-human-politician-islam-722921 |title=Muslims Are The Opposite Of Human, Swedish Democrat Says|website=[[Newsweek]] |date=27 November 2017 |access-date=2024-09-17}}</ref>

In March 2022, parliamentarian [[Roger Richthoff]] was sacked from his role as party defense spokesman and subsequently expelled from the SD and banned by the party from standing as a candidate for them in the [[2022 Swedish general election]] after posting controversial comments on [[Twitter]], including sharing a video supporting Russia in the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in which several [[antisemitic conspiracy theories]] were presented.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SD-ledamot i försvarsutskottet sprider film som tackar Ryssland för invasionen |url=https://expo.se/2022/03/sd-ledamot-i-forsvarsutskottet-sprider-film-som-tackar-ryssland-for-invasionen |access-date=30 March 2022 |website=Expo.se |date=28 March 2022 |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Richtoff (SD) blir politisk vilde |url=https://www.altinget.se/artikel/richtoff-sd-blir-politisk-vilde |access-date=30 March 2022 |website=Altinget.se |date=30 March 2022 |language=sv-SE}}</ref>

Researcher on Nordic nationalism [[Benjamin R. Teitelbaum]] described the present day version Sweden Democrats as paradoxical compared to other European nationalist parties on the issues of racism and radicalism among its members. Teitelbaum notes that in contrast to other Nordic and wider European populist parties, the SD differs by having a past rooted in white nationalism and extremism, but in the present day is comparably more proactive in rejecting ethno-nationalism and expelling members who make racist statements to the point where he considers the SD to be on the "softer side" of national-populism.<ref name="auto7"/> Similar observations were made by British conservative author [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]] who described the SD as undergoing one of the most significant transformations on the European political right from a party on the fringes that openly pushed extreme tendencies to a more mainstream movement that draws on diverse support.<ref name="Murray"/> Kateřina Lišaníková argued that out of all the parties in Sweden, the SD was more likely to attract individual members who made extreme statements regarding immigrants but this was a consequence of the SD being the only party in the Riksdag willing to challenge the political consensus on immigration for several years as opposed to the SD itself being an extremist or racist party.<ref name=":4"/>

[[Ashley Fox]], leader of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|British Conservative]] [[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]], praised the Sweden Democrats regarding the party's policy decisions on the expulsion of extremist and racist members:<ref name="Independent2"/> "Over the past decade the Sweden Democrats have made progress in reforming themselves, expelling any members displaying unacceptable views or behaviour and diversifying their party base."<ref name="Independent2"/>

=== Iron pipe scandal ===
{{main|Iron pipe scandal}}
On November 14, 2012, Erik Almqvist, in addition to party spokesperson [[Kent Ekeroth]] and party official Christian Westling were filmed arming themselves with iron pipes before they sought out a confrontation with [[Soran Ismail]], a Swedish comedian of [[Kurds|Kurdish]] descent.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-03-25 |orig-date=2012-11-15 |title=Åkesson tveksam om Ekeroths framtid |trans-title=Åkesson unsure about Ekeroth's future |url=http://www.svt.se/nyheter/sverige/akesson-tveksam-om-ekeroth |access-date=2024-07-29 |newspaper=[[Sveriges Television]] |language=sv}}</ref>

=== Splinter parties ===
Since the SD's inception, breakaway parties have been formed by former SD members, many of whom were either removed from the party due to controversial actions or resigned after the SD began to ideologically shift and moderate itself.

In 1995, former SD spokesman [[Leif Zeilon]] established the [[Conservative Party (Sweden)|Homeland Party]] along with other founding members of the SD after Anders Klarström was replaced as party chairman by a less hardline leadership.<ref name="Så ska de slå ut SD">{{cite web |last=Marmorstein |first=Elisabeth |date=14 May 2009 |title=Så ska de slå ut SD |trans-title=That's how they'll knock out the SD |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/L0oj6x/sa-ska-de-sla-ut-sd |access-date=31 January 2024 |website=[[Aftonbladet]] |language=sv}}</ref>

In 2001, a major breakaway occurred when the more radical ethno-nationalist faction of the SD's national board and their supporters were collectively expelled and formed the [[National Democrats (Sweden)|National Democrats]] party.<ref name="Så ska de slå ut SD"/>

On 18 March 2018, [[Alternative for Sweden]] (AfS) was formed by former members of the SD's old youth wing after they were kicked out of the party after alleged ties with extremist groups and for coming into conflict with the mother party. Three SD parliamentarians joined Alternative for Sweden but all lost their seats during the 2018 general election.<ref name=":7" /> AfS's policies have been criticised as too extreme by members of the SD such as [[Henrik Vinge]].<ref name=":7">{{cite web |last=Svensson |first=Niklas |author-link=Niklas Svensson |date=5 March 2018 |title=SD:s presschef: Glad om vi slipper rasistiska åsikter |trans-title=SD's press manager: Happy if we get rid of racist views |url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/tidigare-sd-toppen-utmanar-akesson-med-nytt-parti/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618164455/https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/tidigare-sd-toppen-utmanar-akesson-med-nytt-parti/ |archive-date=2019-06-18 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=[[Expressen]] |language=sv}}</ref>

===Lobbying===
The Sweden Democrats came under fire in 2015 for changing their position on profits made by private welfare companies. Before the [[2014 Swedish general election|election in 2014]] they favored having restrictions on the amount of profit that welfare companies could take and use for their own gain. Since the election, they have favored the approach of [[Alliance (Sweden)|the Alliance]] parties, that is higher and more restrictive quality standards.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harman |first=Malin |date=20 May 2015 |title=Alliansen vill se en ny utredning om privata alternativ i välfärden |trans-title=The Alliance wants to see a new investigation about private alternatives in welfare |url=http://www.alliansen.se/2015/05/valfard/ |website=[[Alliansen]]}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Current source does not support paragraph and is not neutral|date=September 2024}} This has been suspected to be because of extensive [[lobbying]] done by the organisation [[Confederation of Swedish Enterprise|Svenskt Näringsliv]] among others. The story was discovered by the Swedish newspaper ''[[Dagens Industri]]'' on 14 September 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Nordenskiöld |first1=Tomas |last2=Öhrn |first2=Linda |last3=Öjemar |first3=Fredrik |date=2015-09-14 |title=Företagen och SD ses i smyg |trans-title=The companies and the SD meet in secret |url=https://www.di.se/di/artiklar/2015/9/14/foretagen-och-sd-ses-i-smyg/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=[[Dagens industri]] |language=sv}}</ref> SD has denied all accusations of corruption.

===Anonymous social media accounts===
On May 7, 2024, one month prior to the [[2024 European Parliament election in Sweden|2024 EU elections]], the [[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] investigative journalism program {{lang|sv|Kalla fakta}} ('Hard Facts') premiered a two-part documentary ({{lang|sv|{{ill|Undercover i trollfabriken|sv}}}}, 'Undercover in the Troll Factory')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalla fakta: Undercover i trollfabriken |url=https://www.tv4play.se/program/cd339dace9a80bb132d9/kalla-fakta-undercover-i-trollfabriken |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=www.tv4play.se |language=sv}}</ref> revealing that the Sweden Democrats systematically used anonymous accounts on [[social media]] platforms such as [[TikTok]], [[Twitter|X]] and [[Facebook]]. The scoop was obtained through the use of the [[Günter Wallraff|wallraff method]] where a reporter spent five months as an employee at the previously SD-owned YouTube channel Riks as well as the party's communications department,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hellerud |first1=Emil |last2=Andersson |first2=Daniel |date=2024-06-05 |title=SD's troll factory revealed – reporter worked undercover |url=https://www.tv4.se/artikel/4A3ctxFCytb4R7kKQanI9H/sds-troll-factory-revealed-reporter-worked-undercover |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622214821/https://www.tv4.se/artikel/4A3ctxFCytb4R7kKQanI9H/sds-troll-factory-revealed-reporter-worked-undercover |archive-date=2024-06-22 |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=[[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] |language=}}</ref> documenting internal discussions on the party's communication strategies. The documentary revealed that at least 23 anonymous social media accounts were actually run from SD's communications department, spreading [[Xenophobia|xenophobic]] content and satirical attacks on opposing politicians from other parties, including [[deepfake]] videos. According to {{lang|sv|Kalla fakta}}, posts from these accounts reached 27 million views across social media platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hellerud |first1=Emil |last2=Andersson |first2=Daniel |date=2024-06-05 |title=Here are SD's 23 troll accounts – controlled by the party |url=https://www.tv4.se/artikel/BprNBEXypm6isEuiIYKwA/here-are-sds-23-troll-accounts-controlled-by-the-party |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=[[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] |language=}}</ref> SD's head of communication, Joakim Wallerstein, repeated earlier claims that the party does not run any anonymous social media accounts. However, according to Swedish newspaper [[Aftonbladet]], internal communication reveals that Wallerstein already in 2012 wanted to include anonymous internet campaigns as part of the party's strategy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stenquist |first=Victor |date=2024-05-17 |title=Interna mejlen avslöjar SD:s trollkonto-plan – för 12 år sen |trans-title=The internal emails reveal SD's troll-account-plan – 12 years ago |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/4Bq81E |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=[[Aftonbladet]] |language=sv}}</ref>

In an official response from the Sweden Democrats' leader Jimmie Åkesson, the {{lang|sv|Kalla fakta}} documentary was dismissed as a "gigantic, domestic influence operation by the left-liberal establishment".<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfQnKHlvEzE |title=Jimmie Åkessons tal till nationen |date=2024-05-14 |last=Åkesson |first=Jimmie |publisher=Sverigedemokraterna |trans-title=Jimmie Åkesson's speech to the nation |access-date=2024-06-22 |via=YouTube}}</ref> In numerous interviews, SD representatives toned down the content posted on the anonymous accounts as simple satire and humor material.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parham |first=Babak |date=2024-05-17 |title=Sweden Democrats will not delete anonymous accounts |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/sweden-democrats-will-not-delete-anonymous-accounts |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=Sveriges Radio |language=en}}</ref> Following the documentary, and the party's response to it, SD received massive criticism from all other Swedish parliamentary parties.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hielle |first1=Lars-Peter |last2=Forsberg |first2=Daniel |date=2024-05-15 |title=Trollhistorien påverkar inte Tidö-samarbetet: 'Det ska fortsätta' |trans-title=The troll story does not affect the Tidö cooperation: "It will continue" |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/trollhistorien-paverkar-inte-tido-samarbetet-det-ska-fortsatta |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=[[Sveriges Radio]] |language=sv}}</ref> The government parties accused SD of not following the [[Tidö Agreement]], which contains a clause about showing respect towards other parties. After a meeting on May 16, SD agreed that some of the anonymous accounts' posts went against the agreement and agreed to delete 45 posts. They did not agree to stop running anonymous accounts but said they would use a softer tone towards parties in the Tidö coalition.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Haglund |first1=Anja |last2=Svahn |first2=Niklas |last3=Wallberg |first3=Peter |last4=Ekström |first4=Johanna |date=2024-05-16 |title=SD ber om ursäkt – men stänger inte konton |trans-title=SD apologizes – but does not disable accounts |url=https://www.svd.se/a/vgQK1X/l-det-maste-fa-konsekvenser |access-date=2024-07-06 |work=Svenska Dagbladet |language=sv |issn=1101-2412 |quote=Vi är överens om vissa inlägg och tonaliteten i dem och att de inte ligger i linje med den respektklausul som finns i Tidöavtalet |trans-quote=We are in agreement about some posts and the tone of them and that they don't follow the respect clause of the Tidö agreement}}</ref>