SD's white paper - strong roots in Bevara Sverige Svenskt

Today, the Sweden Democrats are the country's third largest parliamentary party, an established opposition party that is fighting for power in the autumn elections.

In February 1988, when the party was formed, the situation was different.

The White Paper ordered by the party is intended to be an academic review of SD's history and connection to right-wing extremist movements.

- The immediate connection to the Sweden Democrats is through the movement "Preserve Sweden Swedish" but there are also National Socialists, fascists and parts of the Nazi skinhead culture who are represented in the party's founding generation.

That is what the author of the white paper, the historian of ideas Tony Gustavsson, says.

According to him, 40-45 percent of the founders have this connection.

"Lacks political significance"

Martin Kinnunen, who is a member of SD's executive committee and project manager for the White Paper, thinks that the interim report gives a somewhat brighter picture of the party's background than that previously communicated in the media.

He believes that the White Paper obviously has a historical significance, but that it lacks political relevance today.

- Nothing in this publication indicates that the party was racist when it was formed.

It was a motley crowd that formed the party.

Of course, I would have preferred these people not to have formed the party.

This publication has historical significance but is irrelevant to our party today.

Received criticism

The White Paper's author, Tony Gustavsson, has received criticism for having previously written a report for the SD-linked think tank, Oikos.

However, he does not believe that it has affected his credibility in the work on the White Paper.

- I did an investigation for Oikos two years ago.

I do not see any impact on my work on this report.

It is an independent research project.

That criticism is also dismissed by the Sweden Democrats.

Part two of the White Paper will be about the ideological development of the party until 2010 and is expected to be published at the beginning of next year.