Multicultural Malmo: Swedish city loathed by far right braces for election

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports from Malmo, Sweden’s third-largest city, as voters prepare for a national election described as close and politically tense. The city has become a focal point because of its diversity and because migration is one of the campaign’s central issues. In the central square, party booths from across the spectrum sit close together, including the Left Party and the far-right Sweden Democrats, whose rivalry reflects the sharper national divide.

The article says Malmo has more than a third of its 368,000 residents born outside Sweden, making it a frequent target for anti-immigration rhetoric. Local politicians and residents interviewed by Al Jazeera pushed back against stereotypes, arguing that the city’s mixed neighbourhoods also represent community, resilience and opportunity. Some pointed to practical concerns such as jobs, healthcare and the cost of living as more immediate issues than identity politics.

Al Jazeera also notes that Malmo’s history is tied to Sweden’s “Million Programme” housing estates, which were once built for working-class families and later housed many migrant newcomers. Those areas are now often described by authorities as vulnerable, and they remain central to debates over segregation, schooling and integration.

The report places Malmo’s local debates in a wider national context: Sweden is grappling with crime, gang recruitment of children, immigration policy and a tighter work-permit system. It also says the Sweden Democrats could enter government for the first time if the right-wing bloc wins, underscoring why the vote matters beyond Malmo.