Somalis on clan-based voting: ”We are one race—we stick together”

Was there an ethnic mobilization among immigrants in Sweden ahead of this fall’s parliamentary election? When Sveriges Radio investigates the Left Party’s major successes in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby, it becomes clear that Somalis, among others, have a strong sense of group loyalty when it comes to politics. Some even openly express their support for a politician who belongs to the same race as themselves.

The Left Party nearly doubled its support in the multicultural suburb of Rinkeby in Stockholm and received between 50 and 60 percent of the votes in most voting districts. As the results are analyzed, it is becoming increasingly clear that there was a widespread ethnic mobilization, particularly among Somalis. They were urged to vote for the Left Party, not because of its politically correct “woke” ideology, but to ensure that Somali politicians, in particular, gained seats in the Riksdag.

Group loyalty and ethnic pride are portrayed as dangerous when it comes to Swedes. When it comes to immigrants, however, that principle does not apply at all, as became clear when Swedish Radio did a report in Rinkeby.

Hassan, who openly admits that he has urged other Somalis to vote for the Left Party, makes no secret of the fact that the goal is to elevate those who belong to the same group.

– We are a race; we are a people who stick together, and there's nothing wrong with that, he says.

Hassan describes how Somalis organize themselves politically through associations, mosques, and conversations in the town squares. He also explains that the group previously mobilized in support of the Islamist Nyans Party (which was virtually wiped out in the election), but changed its focus ahead of this year’s election.

– We have the same problems, the same enemies. You can't divide us. I want us to vote as a single party.

Woman: Controlled by men

However, not everyone is equally enthusiastic about the pressure to vote for a specific party. Sarah, who voted for the Social Democrats, says she was confronted and mocked at a grocery store when she refused to vote for the Left Party and candidates of Somali descent.

– I feel more controlled by the men here in Rinkeby than I do in my home country. Sometimes it feels like I don't live in Sweden, but in Africa.

Sarah describes how this mobilization takes place. It is older Somali leaders who, through associations, mosques, and social media, influence their compatriots’ choice of party. The principle that politicians claim to uphold—and upon which Swedish democracy is officially built—namely, that every eligible voter decides for themselves how to vote, does not apply. Instead, there is strong peer pressure that limits an individual’s right to vote for the party of their choice.

Women vote the way men tell them to

Something that Freedom News One thing that drew attention in the run-up to the election was that the Left Party and the Social Democrats, in particular, actively promoted their policies in other languages. The Left Party, in particular, produced materials in languages such as Arabic, Somali, and Farsi. The reason? There are a large number of people with Swedish citizenship who do not speak Swedish.

This seems to be confirmed by the social worker Mathilda Nejman, who works in Rinkeby-Tensta. Many of the women she meets vote the way the men want them to, mainly because of their limited knowledge of Swedish and their lack of understanding of the parties’ policies.

Another noteworthy point that Nejman highlights is the Left Party’s double standard. The party is notorious for pursuing radical feminist policies and making LGBTQ issues some of its top priorities. But when they campaign in areas like Rinkeby, these issues are downplayed. Instead, they emphasize the rights of immigrants and Muslims, as well as lower rents and economic security.

The segment shows—perhaps unintentionally on the part of SR—that ethnic awareness and group loyalty are strong in multicultural Sweden. While Swedes are expected to set aside their interests as an ethnic group, various immigrant groups are careful to ensure that their interests are safeguarded, even if this comes at the expense of other groups, such as the Swedes themselves.