Social Democrats Propose Decade-Long Pact with Moderates to Tackle Gang Crime in Sweden

In a press conference ahead of her Christmas speech in Kärrtorp, southern Stockholm, Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson announced a proposal for a ten-year cross-party pact with the Moderates aimed at combating gang crime in Sweden. Andersson stressed the importance of a long-term reform agenda focused primarily on stopping the recruitment of new gang members, which she identified as essential to reducing violence linked to gangs.

She has already extended a written invitation to Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Moderate Party and current Prime Minister, to join discussions on this initiative. Andersson emphasized that while the Social Democrats align with the government on many measures, such as imposing stricter penalties and increasing police presence, she criticized the current government's passive approach concerning gang recruitment. Andersson argued that without addressing recruitment, efforts to halt gang-related violence will be ineffective.

Citing Denmark as a positive example of effective cross-party cooperation against gang crime, Andersson indicated that the proposed pact would establish a consistent policy course across party lines for at least a decade. While she believes the backbone of the agreement should be between the Social Democrats and Moderates, she remains open to including other parties in the future. The initiative responds to failures by both previous and current governments in combating gang crime effectively in Sweden.