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Sweden’s Migration Minister Johan Forssell has said he is “shocked and horrified” after learning that his teenage son had been involved with violent far-right extremist groups, according to domestic media reports.
The revelation comes after the Swedish security service, Säpo, contacted Forssell several weeks ago to alert him to the activities of his 16-year-old son.
Forssell, a member of the centre-right Moderate Party who formerly served as foreign trade minister, is part of a governing coalition that relies on support from the far-right Sweden Democrats.
The minister went public following an exposé by the anti-racism magazine Expo, which revealed that a “close relative of a Swedish minister” had ties to the extremist far-right.
According to the magazine, the son is reported to have attempted to recruit individuals to a white supremacist organisation and taken part in activities with the neo-Nazi and violence-prone group Aktivklubb Sverige.
Speaking to TV4, Forssell said: “As a father you are shocked, you are horrified. I have a deeply remorseful 15-year-old, who just turned 16. These activities are over but our conversations will, of course, continue.”
‘Eye-opener’ for parents
Although Forssell followed his son on social media, where the teenager had been engaging with far-right activists and influencers, he said he was unaware of the extent of his involvement until Expo contacted him. He emphasised that his son is not suspected of any criminal wrongdoing.
Taking to social media, Forssell described the incident as a potential “eye-opener” for parents. “It highlights a bigger societal issue,” he wrote. “How much do we actually know about what our children do on social media, and how can we protect them from being dragged into something we don’t want?”
Far-right extremists have maintained a presence in Sweden for years and often recruit teenage boys and young men online, reaching out first on mainstream platforms before shifting to private channels.
The Sweden Democrats, who hold considerable sway in the coalition government, have historic links to neo-Nazi movements and became Sweden’s second-largest party in the last general election.
Although Forssell intends to remain migration minister, he assured that he will “continue to take responsibility” and be “focused on implementing the policies we have received support from the Swedish people for.”
Nonetheless, the issue is already prompting political fallout. According to local media, the Left Party has demanded that Forssell be summoned to the Riksdag and “lay the cards on the table”.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has offered his backing to Forssell since the information on his son’s involvement became public.
“He has acted as a responsible parent should when you learn that your child is doing wrong and is in bad company,” Kristersson said.
