Facts: Sweden’s image abroad
The Swedish Institute (SI) investigates the image of Sweden abroad by following media reporting on Sweden and through various surveys and indexes, such as the annual Nation Brands Index (NBI) survey, which surveys people in 20 countries.
The countries that get the best ranking in the NBI’s survey:
1. Germany
2. Japan
3. Canada
4. Italy
5. France
6. Great Britain
7. Switzerland
8. United States
9. Sweden
10. Australia
Source: SI
Sweden has for a long time been known as a neutral and non-aligned country in the outside world. The decision to apply to the defense alliance NATO has therefore had a major impact on the image of Sweden, according to the Director General of the Swedish Institute (SI) Madeleine Sjöstedt.
— There has been a big discussion in international media and also in social media about whether Sweden is still a non-aligned country. We basically stopped being that last year. It is a big change that we have noticed, says Sjöstedt.
Unsurprisingly, the attitude towards Sweden’s application has been most positive in countries that are already members of NATO or cooperate in other ways with the defense alliance, and least positive in Russia and China, which through their rivalry with the US and the West have a tense relationship with NATO. At the same time, large parts of the world have received the news with a shrug.
Germany most positive
– Many countries are completely neutral about this, I don’t think, for example, that the populations of the African countries care very much, but in Russia and China above all, Sweden’s application has been viewed with greater skepticism, says Sjöstedt.
The Germans are among the most positive about Sweden’s NATO application. The Swedish institute does not yet have an explanation as to why, but believes it may be connected to the very positive image of Sweden that has existed in Germany for a long time.
— In the Nation brands index survey, we are the most popular country in Germany, we have a very high reputation there. It’s about everything from children’s literature to trade issues that have tied Sweden and Germany closely together throughout the ages, says Sjöstedt.
“Trusted partner”
Sweden generally has a good reputation abroad, with perceptions that Sweden is democratic, modern, innovative and contributes internationally, according to SI. However, the image of Sweden has suffered a thorn in above all Muslim countries as a result of the right-wing extremist Rasmus Paludan’s Koran burnings and the Easter riots, but also due to the still ongoing disinformation campaign on social media that Swedish social services forcibly take children from Muslim families into custody on incorrect grounds.
The widespread gang crime in Sweden in 2022 also made headlines around the world.
— We see that above all countries in our vicinity follow this quite closely. We do not yet know what the consequences may be, but it may, for example, affect the image of Sweden as a credible partner in international collaborations on combating crime, says Sjöstedt.