The Sweden Democrats and the ethno-nationalist rhetoric of decay and betrayal

Sweden was long considered an ”exceptional case” with no representatives of the radical right in parliament. However, the Sweden Democrats (SD) entered parliament in the 2010 parliamentary election, pointing towards the demand for ethnic nationalism also in Sweden. This article explores the party’s rhetoric with particular references to the politics of decay and betrayal and its construction of a Swedish golden age. The rhetoric of decay echoes...