Fourteen Vänsterpartiet Candidates Removed Amid Terrorism Support Scandal

A major political upheaval has struck Sweden's Vänsterpartiet (Left Party) as fourteen candidates were removed from the party's lists for the upcoming municipal elections. This follows an extensive investigative report by Expressen revealing that several candidates had expressed support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, including celebrating Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Among those who resigned were Yazan Abushammala, 23, an Amnesty representative in Halland and candidate for the Halmstad municipal election, and Ali Jassin, 34, chairman of the Palestine Group in Halmstad. Both stepped down after the investigation exposed their participation in glorifying violent attacks and praising terrorist groups.

The party leadership quickly reacted by removing nine candidates initially, followed by the dismissal of an additional four individuals later the same day. Local representatives in Malmö and Landskrona also left the party due to similar revelations. Nooshi Dadgostar, Vänsterpartiet’s leader, confirmed these actions, underlining that anyone glorifying terrorist attacks cannot remain in the party. Tomas Gustafsson, chairman of the Helsingborg party association, emphasized, "If you glorify terrorist attacks, you cannot be a politician for us."

Björn Abelli, district chairman for Vänsterpartiet in Halland, stressed the party’s commitment to human rights and opposition to racism and oppression, stating that voters must trust the party to uphold these values.

This internal purge reflects a strong response from Vänsterpartiet to distance themselves from extremist views amid Sweden’s sensitive political climate ahead of municipal elections. The swift resignations and removals mark a significant effort to maintain the party’s integrity and public trust after the damaging revelations.

As of June 5, 2026, the party continues to deal with the fallout, ensuring that candidates who represent democratic and humanitarian principles are the face of Vänsterpartiet in the upcoming elections.