Sweden Democrats Urge Church to Stay Neutral on Gaza Conflict

In a recent development, Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats (SD), reiterated that the Church of Sweden should refrain from taking a stance on polarizing issues, particularly the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. He emphasized, "There is no point in the Swedish church making statements on such polarizing issues," reflecting his party's view that such matters should be left to elected politicians rather than ecclesiastical leaders.

This position comes as the Sweden Democrats shift their strategy for the upcoming church elections, participating under a new nomination group known as *Sweden Democrats in the Church of Sweden* (SDSK) rather than as a formal political party. Åkesson criticized the church's involvement in political debates, specifically accusing the Social Democrats of politicizing the church, mentioning the Israel-Palestine issue as a pivotal example of being on the "wrong side of history."

In contrast, Social Democratic party secretary Tobias Baudin defended the church's right to express opinions on significant issues. Baudin stated that silencing church voices leads to a regrettable scenario and referenced a poignant recent service for Gaza victims, stating, "The church must own that."

The church elections, set to determine 251 members of the church assembly, are crucial in shaping the Church of Sweden's future and are scheduled to run early voting from September 9 to September 21. In the last elections, turnout was notably low at 18.4%, a figure the church hopes to improve upon this time around as national support for inclusion and open dialogue grows.