Johan Forssell, Sweden’s migration minister, has found himself at the eye of the political hurricane. Social media is ablaze with accusations regarding his teenage son’s purported connections to neo-Nazi organizations.
How we got here
This story has unfolded over nearly two weeks. Leading Swedish news organizations have refrained from naming the minister in order to shield a minor’s identity.
Forssell’s son is charged with participating in in-person meetings with at least two other neo-Nazi groups. The claims are indeed explosive, but tellingly he’s not accused or suspected of any crime. This difference is important to understand the big picture. The consequences of even the appearance of such associations have only sharpened the focus on Forssell. This is true, particularly because he is a fierce proponent of parental responsibility as a crime prevention strategy.
Throughout his political career, Johan Forssell, the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, has vehemently insisted that nothing but firm parenting will keep a young person from crime. He often criticized the left-wing opposition for their alleged denial regarding the importance of parental involvement in shaping children’s behavior.
This controversy reached a peak when Forssell was called to a hearing in the Riksdag, Sweden’s parliament, where he had to answer questions about both his son’s actions and his own political stance on parental responsibility.
“I was shocked and horrified by the discovery of my son’s activities,” – Johan Forssell
Forssell and his colleagues moved quickly to mitigate the damage. She attempted to suppress the story, only hoping to shield his identity as the speculative firestorm grew by the minute. Their efforts proved to be a double-edged sword. The local newspaper Västerbottens-Kuriren finally lifted the lid of secrecy by naming Forssell in an editorial. In reaction, prominent members of Forssell’s Moderate party filed official complaints against both the cashless press release and its author.
Deputy Prime Minister, and leader of the Christian Democrats, Ebba Busch publicly defended Forssell’s decision to make his son’s story public. She presented the disclosure as the ultimate show of strength. She stated that it took courage for him to “voluntarily make this information public”.
In spite of the deepening scandal, Forssell has demonstrated, in no uncertain terms, that he will not step down. His party colleagues have sought to downplay the uproar. Their argument is that accusations leveled against his son should not sully his long-standing reputation as an esteemed minister.
Critics argued, the difference between Forssell’s public position and his own personal situation was too great. In speeches and interviews, he often shifts the blame for children’s failures squarely onto the parents. This unfortunate proclivity makes his already difficult position all the more vexatious. When challenged in a TV interview on his son’s connections, Forssell seemed to make little effort to own the blame.
While the backlash continues, this is already a hugely important discussion. How can politicians maintain their personal lives when they are subjected to incredible public scrutiny. Yet Forssell’s experience is a vivid reminder. It’s a reminder that even the staunchest proponents of rigid accountability standards have family lives of which they, and we, must be aware.
“We must get rid of the imported violence,” – Forssell’s son
Additionally, many social media posts released in his son’s name sound out themes that ring close to the extremist hate speech. One notable statement included:
“It’s time for Europeans to fight back!” – Forssell’s son