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| Far-right Sweden Democrats axe MEP amid harassment claims | Far-right Sweden Democrats axe MEP amid harassment claims |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The far-right Sweden Democrats party has removed a female MEP from its list of candidates for this week’s European elections, accusing her of disloyalty after she complained that another female member had been sexually harassed by a senior party figure, Swedish media have reported. | |
| The incident is the second scandal involving a European far-right party in a matter of days, following the resignation on Saturday of Austria’s populist vice-chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, over a video appearing to show him offering public contracts to a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch in exchange for campaign help. Strache says he was drunk and “acting like a teenager”. | The incident is the second scandal involving a European far-right party in a matter of days, following the resignation on Saturday of Austria’s populist vice-chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, over a video appearing to show him offering public contracts to a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch in exchange for campaign help. Strache says he was drunk and “acting like a teenager”. |
| Kristina Winberg, an MEP for the anti-immigration party since 2014, was informed on Sunday that her membership had been suspended and she was no longer to be a candidate in the elections on 26 May, the Sweden Democrats said in a statement. | Kristina Winberg, an MEP for the anti-immigration party since 2014, was informed on Sunday that her membership had been suspended and she was no longer to be a candidate in the elections on 26 May, the Sweden Democrats said in a statement. |
| It said the MEP had chosen to “cut all ties with the party’s election organisation”, “consistently refused to cooperate and adapt to the party’s communication strategy” and “no longer felt any loyalty to the party”. | It said the MEP had chosen to “cut all ties with the party’s election organisation”, “consistently refused to cooperate and adapt to the party’s communication strategy” and “no longer felt any loyalty to the party”. |
| She had also “expressed herself in a threatening manner in relation to the party, acted in secret to harm its reputation, and conspired to smear the party with the help of the media”, the Sweden Democrats, who won 17.6% of the vote in the 2018 general election, said. | |
| But according to the magazine Expressen, Winberg was sacked the day after its reporter confronted Peter Lundgren, the party’s lead candidate in the European elections, with allegations of sexual harassment against another party member. | |
| The incident is alleged to have happened in a hotel room after a party meeting last year, Expressen said, and was witnessed by Winberg, who afterwards recorded two conversations on her mobile phone with the alleged victim, who has not been named. | The incident is alleged to have happened in a hotel room after a party meeting last year, Expressen said, and was witnessed by Winberg, who afterwards recorded two conversations on her mobile phone with the alleged victim, who has not been named. |
| The MEP told the magazine: “I told the party that I made a recording, with the other woman’s knowledge … Both she and I saw this as very serious and we both wanted it on record if she wanted to take it further. It was not about destroying the party or anyone, but an abuse that I thought was unacceptable.” | The MEP told the magazine: “I told the party that I made a recording, with the other woman’s knowledge … Both she and I saw this as very serious and we both wanted it on record if she wanted to take it further. It was not about destroying the party or anyone, but an abuse that I thought was unacceptable.” |
| Lundgren confirmed the incident had taken place but said it was a misunderstanding. “It was late at night and we had all had a bit to drink,” he said. “I know I put my hand on her breast, but not with the intention of anything happening, not at all.” | Lundgren confirmed the incident had taken place but said it was a misunderstanding. “It was late at night and we had all had a bit to drink,” he said. “I know I put my hand on her breast, but not with the intention of anything happening, not at all.” |
| Lundgren told Swedish Radio news that he and his alleged victim had “straightened things out” afterwards and subsequently went on holiday together to Spain. He said Expressen was “clearly trying to exaggerate” the incident. | Lundgren told Swedish Radio news that he and his alleged victim had “straightened things out” afterwards and subsequently went on holiday together to Spain. He said Expressen was “clearly trying to exaggerate” the incident. |
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