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Swedes want equal treatment of far-right
Far-right should be treated like any other member of parliament.
• Swedish far-right MPs meet for first time in parliament
• Fredrik Reinfeldt can still retain a majority
A clear majority of Swedes think far-right lawmakers voted into office for the first time this week should be treated like any other member of parliament, according to a poll published Thursday.
"Fifty-nine percent think the Sweden Democrats should be treated like all the other parties in parliament," according to the Skop poll of 1,200 people between September 14 and 19, the election day.
In Sunday's vote, the far-right, anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats won their first ticket to parliament by netting 20 of the 349 seats, helping to deprive the ruling centre-right coalition of a clear majority.
Broken down into individual party supporters, only voters for the formerly communist Left Party and the Greens were slightly more in favour of isolation than of cooperation with the party in parliament, the poll showed.
On Wednesday, Sweden Democrat leader, Jimmie Aakesson, 31, called an expected move by several parties to reorganise parliamentary committees to limit his party's influence "undemocratic."
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's coalition won most votes in Sunday's election, but fell two seats short of a clear majority, according to a near-final tally.
Reinfeldt has categorically rejected any cooperation with the far-right parliamentary newcomers, but their presence has him eyeing alliances with the leftwing opposition parties.
The final results from the vote were expected Thursday afternoon, but were not expected to tip the parliamentary balance.
Last Updated (Thursday, 23 September 2010 12:24)







