European Contexts online panel
With
Maria Solevid and Mikael Persson, University of Gothenburg, principal
investigators of the 2026 Swedish National Election Study, and Lars
Trägårdh, historian at Uppsala University and chair of the Committee for
a Swedish Cultural Canon.
When: Monday, 7 September 2026, 9:30–10:30 CEST
Where: Online
Please register HERE.
Background
Sweden
will hold parliamentary elections on 13 September 2026. What are the
main issues shaping the campaign—immigration, gang violence, the future
of the welfare state, the rise of the far right, identity, government
spending, militarisation, or support for Ukraine?
Once one of
Europe’s most refugee-friendly countries, Sweden has adopted
increasingly restrictive migration policies. Gang-related violence, much
of it involving young men from immigrant backgrounds, the shortcomings
of integration policies, the 2015 refugee influx, and other factors have
contributed to a profound shift in Swedish policy and public
debate—from an emphasis on tolerance and integration to measures that
include the deportation of minors. Has Sweden shifted to the right? If
so, why?
Speakers
Mikael Persson is Professor of
Political Science at the University of Gothenburg and head of the
Gothenburg Research Group on Elections, Public Opinion and Political
Behavior (GEPOP). He studies public opinion, political behaviour, and
unequal representation and is one of the principal investigators of the
2026 Swedish National Election Study.
Maria Solevid is Associate
Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg. She
studies voter behaviour and public opinion and is one of the principal
investigators of the 2026 Swedish National Election Study.
Lars
Trägårdh is a Swedish historian and visiting professor at Uppsala
University, where he leads a major research project on social trust. He
has held several government-appointed positions on commissions dealing
with Sweden’s future and cultural values. In 2022, he published The
Swedish Theory of Love: Individualism and Social Trust in Modern Sweden.
Moderator
Mirjana Tomic, fjum / Presseclub Concordia
Format
Moderated conversation followed by a live Q&A.
Target Audience
Journalists, media professionals, and researchers.
Maximum number of participants: 100