Swedish parties remain divided over stopping teenage deportations

Sweden’s parliamentary Social Insurance Committee has agreed to begin work on a proposed law to halt so-called teenage deportations, but the parties disagree over what they have actually agreed to, SVT reports.

After a meeting on Tuesday, reports said all eight parliamentary parties had agreed to develop a stop law. But Jessica Stegrud, deputy chair of the committee and the Sweden Democrats’ migration policy spokesperson, said the decision only allowed the red-green parties to begin preparing a proposal.

“There are simply too many questions,” Stegrud said. She said the red-green parties had not explained what legislation they wanted or who it would affect.

Green Party MP Annika Hirvonen, who also sits on the committee, interpreted the decision differently. She said all parties had voted to begin developing a stop law, and argued that this would be strange if they opposed one.

The red-green parties have a majority both on the committee and in parliament, so they could draft legislation through the committee and put it to a vote. Hirvonen said that process could be difficult and lengthy, and called on the caretaker government to help prepare the legislation using its experts and resources.

Stegrud said it would go against established practice for a caretaker government to help draft new legislation.