Sweden to Investigate Norms and Values of Immigrants

stockholm - The Swedish government is set to conduct a study on the norms and values of immigrants in the country to assess their alignment with liberal democratic ideals.

The Swedish government plans to map out the norms and values of immigrants, aiming to determine if they differ from the 'liberal-democratic ideals'. This nearly €200,000 research initiative will impact the government's integration policy.

'We in Sweden take pride in women's rights and our vision on homosexuals. These rights have been fought for, and now we see tendencies towards forces that resist them. We need to get a picture of the actual situation,' said Minister of Employment and Integration Mats Persson in an interview with Aftonbladet on Friday. He specifically pointed to 'Islamic forces', noting instances where counter-demonstrators at Pride or Jewish marches shout and act threateningly towards those simply expressing their opinions.

The Swedish government has allocated approximately €175,000 for the research under the title 'Improved monitoring of integration'. Immigrants are expected to anonymously fill out a survey, ensuring that the answers cannot be linked to individual persons. Starting next year, the research will be conducted annually and will influence government integration policies. 'What are the attitudes of the people coming to Sweden? What is their stance towards culture? The role of religion? Equality? It is crucial to have an overview of these,' Persson emphasized.

Persson has not yet disclosed how the research will impact integration policies, stating, 'The bigger the problem turns out to be, the greater efforts we need to make.' He mentioned that options such as informational campaigns are under consideration.

'The government fundamentally executes a policy where we want to be clear about the values that matter. In Sweden, men and women hold hands. It's a fundamental norm we have in Swedish society. You are expected to adhere to that norm,' Persson highlighted.

The research is part of a broader package of integration efforts in the new Swedish government's budget. Overall, the government allocated approximately €17 million for initiatives, including intensive language courses for children with foreign backgrounds.