She speaks rapidly, methodically lays out her arguments and anticipates questions: Lawen Redar, 36, knows her subject well. Before being appointed on September 24 as the Swedish Social Democratic Party’s spokesperson on integration – a post left vacant since 2010 – this lawyer, the daughter of immigrants and an MP since 2014, spent two years traveling across Sweden and its suburbs. Redar’s mission is to devise a policy capable of addressing the immense challenge posed by the 180 disadvantaged neighborhoods identified in the Scandinavian kingdom that are plagued by poverty and often organized crime, where 700,000 people live – including 170,000 children, mostly of foreign origin.

From that tour, Redar returned with more than 80 proposals, of which eight key measures were selected to be included in the party’s platform ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for September 13, 2026. Defeated by the right and the far right in 2022 – following a campaign dominated by immigration and security – the Social Democrats are determined not to suffer another loss. Drawing partial inspiration from Denmark’s Social Democratic Party, they now advocate for a restrictive migration policy and strict integration conditions for immigrants.

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