Majority of Swedish parliamentary parties say no to more quota refugees
The UN has recently called on countries around the world to accept more quota refugees to help people in very difficult situations. Despite this appeal, it now appears that a majority of the political parties in Sweden do not want to increase the number of refugees the country accepts through this system.
Quota refugees are people who have fled their home countries and who the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has selected for resettlement in a new country. For many years, Sweden has been one of the countries that has accepted a significant proportion of these individuals, but the political direction has changed in recent times.
The parties that oppose an increase often point to the need to prioritize the integration of the people who are already in Sweden. They argue that resources need to be used to improve establishment in the labor market and to strengthen social support in society.
At the same time, there are voices that emphasize Sweden's international responsibility. They believe that Sweden, as a wealthy nation, should contribute more actively to relieve the burden on the countries that receive the most refugees in the world. The debate over how many refugees Sweden should accept thus continues to be a central and sensitive issue in Swedish politics.
The decision not to increase the number of quota refugees means that Sweden will maintain a lower level than what the UN has requested. The issue remains current and will likely be discussed extensively in the Riksdag in the time to come.