The Sydsvenskan, Helsingborgs Dagblad, and the website Doku have revealed during the summer that left-wing local politicians have expressed anti-Semitic views, spread conspiracy theories, and praised terrorists on social media and in connection with Palestine demonstrations.
The Swedish Committee Against Anti-Semitism, SKMA, has demanded an answer from party leader Nooshi Dadgostar about the party's stance – who is now giving her first interview.
"No place in the Left Party"
Anti-Semitism and racism have no place in the Left Party or in Sweden. It is self-evident that the Left Party combats anti-Semitism and racism wherever it appears. We need to stick together. The equal value of all people is the foundation for us. We should never pit people against each other based on religious beliefs or background, she says in an interview with DN.
A exclusion process is underway against Mot Ali Hadrous, who sits on the Landskrona municipal council. However, this is not the case against Orwa Kadoura, vice chairman of V in Malmö, who has also spread anti-Semitic messages and praised the terrorist-listed Hamas. To SVT, party secretary Aron Etzler says that Kadoura did not understand that the posts were anti-Semitic.
"It is being handled"
The Left Party describes itself as an anti-racist party, does it not affect your credibility if he remains?
It is not certain, it is being handled now. This type of personnel matter should be handled in a legally secure manner, it is done in all organizations. That is why the party secretaries are handling it. It is important that it is done correctly so that we can clarify what has happened and make a good assessment, says Dadgostar to DN.
Neither is an exclusion process underway against Kristofer Lundberg, V chairman in Angered, who has expressed support for the terrorist-listed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP).