The Swedish model plagued by ‘gang violence’ and inequality

A bridge under construction has sparked a heated debate in Stockholm. The bridge will unite two contrasting realities: the disadvantaged neighborhood of Rinkeby and the town of Sundbyberg, whose inhabitants have a higher purchasing power. While the Swedish extreme right fears that this infrastructure will serve to spread crime, which it associates with immigration, residents believe that the bridge will not only facilitate travel, but also curb segregation. Euronews journalist Valérie Gauriat investigates the underlying realities in Sweden, where socio-economic inequality has never been as high as it is now.

Rinkeby is one of the nerve centers of so-called ‘gang violence’ in Sweden. Murders have increased by almost 40%, in one year, in the country. To try to end this problem, the Government advocates a more restrictive immigration policy, and more deportations. It is a bargaining chip used by the ruling coalition bloc to secure the support of the far-right party ‘Sweden Democrats’.

“Most of the young people who are suspected of having committed a crime were born in Sweden. They are Swedish. Where are they going to be deported to?” says Clarissa Seidou, an officer with the Rinkeby Community Police.

“If they had been given jobs and had learned Swedish, they would have integrated into society,” adds Mustafa Andic, a resident of Sundbyberg. A former businessman and now a taxi driver, Andic believes that politicians “should address the source of gang violence instead of fighting over the bridge.”

Andreas Cervenka, author of the Swedish Journalism Award-winning book ‘Greedy Sweden’, blames tax cuts and privatization policies for inequality. According to him, this makes Sweden “one of the most unequal countries in the world, with a very wealthy elite, together with a large group of economically vulnerable citizens.”

“Worsened by the crisis and inflation, precariousness is affecting more and more Swedes,” says Jonas Wihlstrand, director of the main Swedish charity ‘Stadsmissionen’.

“The number of applicants for aid has increased dramatically this year. Civil society has to take responsibility for feeding people. We don’t want the situation to get worse. Trying to fix the problem is the responsibility of politicians!” concludes Jonas Wihlstrand.

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