According to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Sweden is in the most serious security situation since World War II. At the same time, Richard Jomshof, chairman of the justice committee, has become a central figure for domestic political turmoil.
In several posts on X (formerly Twitter), Richard Jomshof has, among other things, called the prophet Muhammad a “mass murderer” and a “slave trader”.
Mats Knutson on Richard Jomshof: “Grateful to give it a go”
This has caused the opposition to try to have Richard Jomshof poked from his chairmanship.
– They shoot themselves at Jomshof for several reasons. He is already controversial so he is grateful to give in and you can also drive a wedge between the government and SD, says SVT’s domestic political commentator Mats Knutson in Politburo and continues:
– But you can also appeal to bourgeois voters who are critical of SD. There are, for example, the Liberals who are tormented by this issue.
Important for the party
Richard Jomshof has long been a key player in SD. Together with Jimmie Åkesson, Mattias Karlsson and Björn Söder, he belongs to the “gang of four” that took control of the party in 2005.
He is also one of the party’s strongest critics of Islam. And it is important that he continues to be that and at the same time tests limits, according to Richard Sörman, political editor at SD’s TV channel Riks.
– It is also important for SD because they believe that they have sometimes worked against the wind when it comes to freedom of expression. It has been difficult to say what one thinks, he says Politburo.
Jomshof’s post a burden for the government
According to Mats Knutson, Richard Jomshof’s statements have become a burden for the government.
– Of course, the Koran burnings are the major security policy threat, but if it appears that the government base has different ideas about the magnitude of the crisis, what it is due to and how it should be handled, it damages the image of the government’s ability.
In the video above, you can see SD politician Jörgen Fogelklou tell why Richard Jomshof is important to the Sweden Democrats. See more about this in Politikbyrån: The security threat in SVT Play.