Andersson backs new mines despite UN criticism

Sweden’s Social Democrats have no plans to tighten laws on Sami reindeer herding, despite repeated criticism from the United Nations, SVT reported. Party leader Magdalena Andersson said the party instead wants to make it easier to establish new mines, one of six parties in the Swedish parliament to support that position.

The UN has said Swedish law does not meet its declaration on Indigenous rights, including because mining projects in northern Sweden do not sufficiently take reindeer herding into account.

“What worries me is when some people try to escalate this conflict,” Andersson said.

She described the issue as a difficult conflict between “legitimate interests” but said new mines are necessary for the green transition. Andersson said she hoped mines could be built in a way that all parties, including the reindeer-herding industry, could accept.