Sweden drastically reduced asylum numbers: This is the advice given by Migration Minister Forssell to Merz
From the most liberal to one of the strictest immigration countries in Europe: In an interview, Swede Johan Forssell reveals how this came about and what Germany can learn from it.
With his styled hair and perfectly trimmed beard, Johan Forssell could easily pass for a male model. When you meet him, every eye contact is precise, every smile seems considered. Perhaps this is the reason why the 45-year-old has amassed tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, who follow him on election campaigns and at press events.
The politician from the Moderate Party speaks about tough topics, as Sweden's Minister of Migration and Rural Development, he is responsible for one of the strictest immigration policies in Europe. In a conversation in a sober conference room of the heavily guarded Ministry of Migration and Rural Development in Stockholm , he expresses himself carefully, speaking polished English with a slight accent. Forssell explains how his country's migration reversal, which began in 2015, came about, what his government plans to do, and what advice he would give to Friedrich Merz , who appears to be following the Swedish path.
“In recent years, Sweden has had one shooting a day”Mr. Forssell, how would you describe your goal as Minister for Migration?
We were elected with a clear mandate from the Swedish people to get immigration under control. In previous decades, we were very open to immigration. In the 1970s, there was a shift in immigration: from highly skilled migrant workers to asylum seekers. The influx in 2015 was the largest ever. In just one year, we accepted 163,000 asylum seekers. Bear in mind that Sweden has a population of only 10 million – during that time, we were one of the largest recipients of asylum seekers per capita. I was a member of parliament during that time, and immigration was described as the best thing ever. It was claimed that it would pose no challenges and no problems. I found that disturbing.
Because there were challenges and problems?
Let me be clear: Most people who come to Sweden are very decent; they want to find a job, have a better life. But it's not that easy, because Sweden's job market is very specialized. And if you haven't been to school and don't speak a single word of Swedish, you can't just go anywhere and say, "Hello, give me a job, please!" It takes time. For example, I was recently in Philipstad, a small town. Thirty years ago, it had 30,000 inhabitants, then that dropped to 8,000 ten years ago, and during the refugee crisis, 3,000 people arrived, most of them from Somalia . Today, Philipstad struggles with the highest unemployment rate in Sweden. It has the highest social security costs and the lowest education rate. From 2015 onwards, we started to have massive problems with integration. The most obvious of these is a lack of law and order. In recent years, Sweden has basically had a shooting every day.
What is your answer to this?
We are driving a paradigm shift that involves reducing the number of asylum seekers. We must differentiate between asylum seekers and highly skilled labor migration—because we want to become more attractive to the latter. Sweden needs experts, be they in the tech industry, engineers, nurses, doctors, and so on.
Last year, net migration to Sweden declined for the first time in many years. Your predecessor celebrated this. Why do you consider it a success?
That's not something we're celebrating; that would be the wrong expression. Nevertheless, last year we had the lowest number of asylum seekers since 1996. This is a historic shift. We must stay on this course in the long term, otherwise integration will become impossible. It's not just about the numbers, but about who comes to Sweden. Last year, 75 percent of arrivals were not refugees. They applied for asylum , but the Immigration Service concluded they did not meet the criteria. With limited resources, we must focus on those who need our help most. This is essential not only for our humanitarian efforts, but also to maintaining public support for asylum policy. At the same time, people who are not refugees must return to their home countries. We have difficulties with this, both in Sweden and across Europe.
Migration Minister: “My colleagues in Brussels ask me: ‘What is the secret?’”You're proposing a change in the law that would allow residence permits to be revoked for misconduct. Why do you think this is an appropriate move?
If the public is to continue supporting the immigration system, they must feel that it works. If you come here, learn Swedish, apply for jobs, and build a life, then you can stay. But if you commit serious crimes, you must be deported. However, there are cases where immigrants do not break the law but still behave in a way that raises the question: Should this person really be in Sweden? For example, last year individuals spread false claims that the authorities were abducting Muslim children. This was completely untrue, but it damaged Sweden's image and led to increased threats. If someone is here to harm Sweden and its interests, then they should not be here. That is why we will continue with these legislative changes.
As you mentioned, the 2015 refugee crisis was a turning point for your country. Even the center-left government at the time decided to overhaul migration policy. What led to this shift?
It took a very long time, but finally the Social Democrats and the Greens understood: Either we change our policies or we lose our office. It's that simple. Yet they still granted the right of residence to rejected asylum seekers. That was also the reason we were elected two years ago. Today, the Greens and the Left want to return to the time before 2015. That's why I believe migration will be one of the most important issues in the upcoming election next year.
Many European countries are moving in the same direction as Sweden when it comes to migration. Do you see yourselves as pioneers?
Compared to the other Scandinavian countries, Sweden chose a different path – and it didn't end well. Nevertheless, Sweden is the best country in the world. But it's a fact that we will never return to the old migration policy. Since 2022, the number of asylum seekers has been reduced by more than 40 percent. It's fascinating that ten years ago we were this extreme exception. Today, Sweden seems to be leading the way. My colleagues in Brussels are confronted with similar figures to those in 2015. They always ask me: "What do you do that works so well? What's the secret?"
What do you answer them?
We are very clear about what we want to achieve. We have also been very successful in explaining our migration policy to the population and why it is necessary. And why it's not about disliking people from other parts of the world. We want to preserve the right to asylum in Sweden.
Even though you've reduced immigration, Sweden still has a massive problem with gang crime. How are these issues linked? Do you think reducing migration will solve the crime problem?
Much of Sweden's problems with internal security and gang-related crime are related to migration and integration deficits—developments that have worsened over the past 20 years. Migration is not the only cause, but it is an important one. As a small country, Sweden cannot accommodate large numbers of asylum seekers without creating a housing shortage and unemployment, which fuels crime. We are implementing far-reaching reforms to internal security and law enforcement, but for these to work, asylum migration must remain low—although our actions are not limited to that.
The rise of the far right and migration-related problems are closely linked. The right-wing populist Sweden Democrats tolerate the minority government, which your party, the Moderates, also belongs to. Your strategy is to push back the populists through consistent policies. Is this plan working?
The election is next year. We'll see what happens then. I think things are going well. Immigration is the most important political issue—it's important to me and to the Swedish public. My job is to fix immigration and integration problems. If we continue to reduce asylum migration, I'm confident that people will trust our government and possibly support us for another term. We haven't quite made it there yet, but so far, most Swedes seem to believe we're on the right track. Otherwise, we'd see big demonstrations, and we don't.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz seems convinced that your approach will work. He wants to reduce the AfD's approval ratings through good government performance. What do you think: Can good politics help win back voters from right-wing parties?
I think so. It's important for people to feel like we have things under control. That's why we received such strong support in the 2022 election. The previous government was seen as out of touch with reality. As a minority government, it worked with parties that pursued a very different approach to asylum migration. Smart public relations can lead to short-term political success. But lasting trust only develops when you solve the problems people face every day.
Getting things under control – that's what Merz called for during his election campaign on migration. At the beginning of his term, his interior minister has now increased border controls and stepped up rejections. What is your advice to Friedrich Merz for his chancellorship?
We have been cooperating very closely with Germany for years. Since the CDU and the Moderates are part of the same party family, we want to help Germany succeed. My most important advice is that no single reform will solve everything. Citizenship, residence permits, rules of conduct, deportations for serious crimes, and other issues must be considered and addressed together. A key challenge for both Germany and Sweden is the lack of a functioning return system. Success is possible if all these areas are addressed. In our 2022 coalition agreement, about a third of all proposals deal with migration. And when you include internal security, the figure was more than 60 percent. We are pushing forward more reforms than ever before—unprecedented in Sweden's history. Some may say that's not fast enough, but historically, this pace is unparalleled.
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