Left Party scandals threaten cabinet ambitions ahead of election

Recent revelations of antisemitism and praise for terrorism among Left Party officials could derail leader Nooshi Dadgostar’s push for cabinet posts if the red-green bloc wins Sweden’s upcoming election, according to an analysis by public broadcaster SVT.

The party has long positioned itself as the most vocal advocate for Palestinian causes in the Riksdag, but its stance has increasingly become a liability—particularly since Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel and the ensuing war. Multiple Left Party representatives, from MPs to local officials, have faced accusations of glorifying Hamas or sharing antisemitic content online.

Party leadership, after repeated internal struggles, has expelled several members over the incidents. Critics accuse the leadership of acting too slowly, while others within the party argue the crackdown has been overly harsh. Dadgostar has insisted she was unaware of the latest cases, uncovered by Expressen in the run-up to the campaign, and has maintained that such statements do not reflect party policy.

The controversy risks alienating potential voters and overshadowing the Left Party’s broader policy platform. More critically, it undermines Dadgostar’s central election pledge: securing cabinet seats in a red-green government. Both the Social Democrats and the Centre Party have cited the recurring scandals as proof the Left Party is unfit to govern, a stance that could now harden following the new disclosures.