Sweden Democrats’ Proposal to Map Islamism Faces Legal and Ethical Hurdles
As the Sweden Democrats put forward their proposal to map Islamism in Sweden, the idea has been met with criticism from political scientists and legal scholars. According to Victoria Enkvist, there are several problems with the proposal made by SD leader Jimmie Åkesson.
Enkvist points out that it is unclear what the SD leader means by Islam, and what is meant by mapping. She raises concerns about the legality of surveying people based on their religious affiliation, citing Sweden’s constitutional protections against being forced to disclose one’s political, religious, cultural, or other views.
In addition to constitutional protections, Enkvist highlights the discrimination laws in Sweden, stating that legislation cannot solely target Muslims without also applying to political views and other religious groups.
The proposal to map Islamism in Sweden has also faced criticism from Jonas Hinnfors, a professor of political science at Gothenburg University. Hinnfors believes that the idea is in line with the Sweden Democrats’ ideology and reflects their desire for a more homogenized Swedish society.
The proposal comes at a time when issues related to Islam have become prevalent in the public debate, with the Sweden Democrats making headlines for their stance on mosques and their response to recent international conflicts involving Islamic countries.
With the legal and ethical hurdles to mapping Islamism in Sweden, it remains to be seen how the proposal will be received by the government and society at large. As the debate continues, the Sweden Democrats’ proposal raises important questions about the balance between freedom of expression, protection against discrimination, and national security concerns.