Riks warns staff of layoffs as Sweden Democrats review funding

Several employees at the Sweden Democrats-aligned media outlet Riks have been told their jobs may be cut, SVT reports. Sources also say some staff have already been dismissed.

Riks chief executive and editor-in-chief Jacob Hagnell declined to confirm or deny the reports. He said the outlet would continue broadcasting its programme “Morgongänget” on Monday, but that its future format remained uncertain.

The Sweden Democrats are among Riks’s largest funders. Discussions are under way within the party about reviewing financial support for the outlet, according to SVT. The party lost support in the election and expects its state funding to fall, but no decision has been made on whether Riks’s funding will be affected. Kvartal first reported the discussions.

Hagnell said he had not spoken with the party about withdrawing its funding. He described the support as a gift with no conditions attached and said he was grateful for the funding Riks had received.

The Sweden Democrats sold the media company Samtid and Framtid in June 2023. It included the Riks YouTube channel and the Samtiden website. The party has continued to fund Rplay, the company that operates Riks. Dagens Opinion has reported that the party provided half of the company’s funding.

The reports come as a debate over Swedish identity has unfolded within and around the Sweden Democrats. Riks commentator Richard Sörman has taken a position at odds with the party leadership. On Friday, party leader Jimmie Åkesson wrote in Expressen that the party would not change its view of “open Swedishness”. SVT reports that the Riks employees were notified before the debate intensified. It is unclear whether the debate will affect the party’s funding decision.