In the European Parliament, both the Swedish Liberals and the Center Party are part of the party group Renew Europe, which brings together liberal and social liberal parties with a strong opposition to extreme right-wing parties.

At a meeting this week, the Sweden Democrats' success in the Swedish election was discussed and the Liberals' position to support SD in the formation of the government was questioned.

The leader of the liberal group Renew Europe Stéphan Séjourné does not want to comment on the discussions but his spokesperson plays down the conflict.

- There was a normal discussion in the group after the election about the situation of the Liberals, but not about whether they would remain in the group, says Antione Guéry to SVT.

Describes the situation as tense

An article in Dagens Nyheter quotes parliamentarians who were at the meeting and describes the situation as tense.

"How can one make this choice of path that you have made and want to stay in Renew?"

the Belgian member Hilde Vautmans, among others, is said to have said.

- Some members had sharp questions, but the conclusion was that, which is not mentioned in DN's article, that the Renew group and the Liberals have the same view on this, that there is a red line when it comes to sitting in a government with the Sweden Democrats , adds Antoine Guéry.

Sent letters to the group

According to Dagens Nyheter, the criticism from the European party comrades prompted the Liberal party leader Johan Pehrson to write a letter to the group to clarify the party's position and pour oil on the waves.

"The Sweden Democrats, with their nationalist and populist agenda, are our main opponent... We liberals have clear red lines for what compromises can be made to form a coalition," Pehrson wrote in the letter.

- Johan Pehrson's letter was well received by the members of the group.

It was a discussion where there were different opinions, but the conclusion was that we think alike.

There is absolutely no process whatsoever to reassess the Liberals' participation in the Renew group, says Antoine Guéry.