Christersson described Sweden's Democracy leader's call as disrespectful (French)
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Christersson denounced the leader of the far-right party, who called for some mosques to be confiscated and razed to the ground, calling his call "disrespectful".
Swedish Democrats leader Jamie Akeson said during a speech at his party's annual conference on Saturday: "We have to start confiscating and demolishing mosques, where anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, gay and anti-Semitic propaganda is spread, or misleading in general."
Christersson's coalition government does not include the Sweden Democrats, but relies on its support.
Responding to Akison's comments, Christersson told SVT: "I think it's a disrespectful and polarizing way of expression," adding that it misrepresents what Sweden stands for internationally.
Akison's comments sparked outrage in Sweden and abroad, forcing Christerson to issue a statement on the X platform stressing Sweden's "constitutional right to religious freedom" in Sweden.
"In Sweden, we don't demolish places of worship. "As a society, we have to resist violent extremism whatever its justifications, but we will do so within the framework of a democratic state and the rule of law."
Former SPD Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson called on the current prime minister to sack all Swedish Democrats officials working in government offices in Stockholm.
Anderson said Akeson's remarks hurt Sweden's image and did not facilitate her country's application for NATO membership.
Sweden witnessed a series of events that raised tension with Arab and Muslim countries, when a refugee of Iraqi origin burned copies of the Holy Quran on several occasions this year, and this led to protests and condemnations of Sweden, while several Arab countries summoned Swedish envoys to object to those acts.
Sweden's application to join NATO is still awaiting ratification by Hungary and Turkey.
Source : Al Jazeera + French