The normal procedure during recent years has been to invite all party leaders, whose parties are represented in parliament. Michael Sohlman, chairman of the Nobel Foundation, says hovever to Aftonbladet that SD’s values go against the will of Alfred Nobel.
Even though the Nobel banquette is broadcast on TV and has an aura of official ceremony, it is formally a private party, so the Nobel foundation has the right to choose freely who to invite. Critics fear however that it will increase the ‘underground feeling’ that surrounds SD and that it thereby might be a favour to the party
Jimmie Åkesson says to Aftonbladet:
- I believe it is very controversial to make such a clear political point and then refer to Alfred Nobel. This seems to be a political decision.
Footnote: The Sweden democrats is a nationalistic party that got seats in the Riksdag for the first time after the September election this year. 5.6 percent gave them 20 of the 349 seats