Swedish migration minister called to testify to parliament about relative's white supremacism links
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The Left Party's migration spokesperson, Tony Haddou, told the Expressen newspaper that he had asked Forssell to answer questions from the social insurance committee (which among other things handles migration legislation) as soon as parliament is back in session.
'He can't hide, he has to put all the cards on the table,' said Haddou, adding that he didn't rule out also reporting Forssell to parliament's constitutional committee, the committee that scrutinises whether ministers and the government are acting in accordance with the law.
'We're not ruling anything out. But the most relevant thing right now is that we want to know, what did the minister know? Did he cover up something? And how has this affected asylum and migration policy? This is a minister who has to be held accountable, we're talking about Sweden's security,' he told Expressen.
'He's been very outspoken on issues of lack of good conduct, for example. Right now, when it comes to right-wing extremism, the government is trying to tone it down. It's double standards.'
The move comes after anti-racist magazine Expo last week broke a story that a government minister, whose identity was kept anonymous at the time, has a close relative who is allegedly active in, and trying to recruit people to, extreme right and white supremacist movements.
In an anonymous comment to the TT news agency, sent via the prime minister's press secretary in order to keep the minister's identity hidden, the minister said that they had only recently found out that their relative had been 'hanging out in completely the wrong circles' and that they had been working closely with the security police since then.
'I detest all kinds of political extremism and strongly distance myself from it,' read the comment. 'I have had long and frank conversations with the minor who is both remorseful and sad. All association with these circles is a closed chapter.'
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Most mainstream newspapers initially kept Forssell anonymous, due to the young age of his relative and the fact that the Swedish press ethics strongly urge caution when publishing damaging information linked to a person who isn't a public figure (in this case his relative).
But late last week, several local newspapers named Forssell, including Nyhetsbyrån Järva, Västerbottens-kuriren and Gefle Dagblad, citing among other things the public interest in a minister in charge of migration issues having links to the extreme right via a close relative, and the government's refusal to answer follow-up questions.
On Wednesday, Expressen became the first national newspaper to name Forssell.
The Local has contacted Forssell's office for a comment.
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