(AP) In Scandinavia, there’s a new type of socially conscious liberal — that wants tighter restrictions on immigration.
Left-wing parties in Denmark and Sweden that historically defended humanitarian values and generous welfare systems have shifted positions since Europe saw an influx of migrants that peaked in 2015.
The transformation is serving them well.
Denmark’s Social Democratic Party won a June 5 general election after embracing restrictive immigration policies. The pragmatic tactic returned the party to its anti-migrant roots after two decades of relatively more liberal policies.
“The Social Democrats have basically placed themselves where they see the majority of voters,” political scientist Karina Kosiara-Pedersen, an associate professor at Copenhagen University, said.
