If you’re a Social Democrat in Sweden, and your cousin has a neighbor whose co-worker’s sister went to the same primary school as someone whose brother is sympathetic to the Sweden Democrats: beware! You may not be fit to be a Social Democrat.

That seems to be the standard applied by Nusreta Kurtanovic Nilsson, who resigned the party rather than associate with a colleague with a relative who loathes the Sweden Democrats insufficiently. Ms. Nilsson’s status as an immigrant to Sweden makes her sensitive to SD’s immigration-critical positions. Sweden is a tolerant country, but there are limits, you know.

Many thanks to The Observer for translating this article from Sverigesradio (Swedish State Radio):

After the resignation: “The party leadership has exhibited great cowardice”

The Social Democrat Nusreta Kurtanovic Nilsson is quitting politics and terminating her membership in the Social Democratic Party in Karlskrona. She says it is partly due to the fact that her party colleague Chatarina Holmberg has a relative who sympathizes with the Sweden Democrats. She’s not happy, and believes that there is cowardice within the party about raising certain issues, such as xenophobia.

Nusreta Kurtanovic Nilsson (S) explains that she resigned because she believes that the party has exhibited cowardice and that it does not wish to raise certain issues and that “some in the leadership have links to the SD.”

“This isn’t meant as criticism of any specific individuals per se, but the party is unable to deal with certain issues that I think we should address. The issue of Chatarina’s relative has been talked about in the corridors for a long time, but no one is willing to discuss it,” she says.

Cannot represent the party anymore

Nusreta Kurtanovic Nilsson says that as an immigrant she feels that Chatarina Holmberg cannot represent her in certain areas when taking into consideration that some of her family members sympathize with the Sweden Democrats.

“This does not mean that she is a bad Social Democrat, but bearing this in mind, she is the wrong person to work as a councilor.”

Are politicians not allowed to have relatives with different political opinions?

“One has to convince family members and raise such issues even with them. If one is unsuccessful in this endeavor one will be unsuccessful in politics too.”

Councilor Catharina Holmberg (S) tells Sydöstran that her relative is in charge of his own life and that there is freedom of speech and freedom of association in this country.

“Low tide marker”

The leader of the Social Democrats in Karlskrona, Patrik Hansson believes that it is wrong to involve relatives. He’s calling the resignation a “low tide marker”.

“You are welcome to criticize me as a representative of the Social Democrats in Karlskrona, and you may also criticize Catharina Holmberg as a representative of (S) in Karlskrona, but when you go ahead and start criticizing family members and loved ones, then you have crossed the line of common decency,” he says.

This is the second time in a year that Nusreta Kurtanovic Nilsson has chosen to resign as a form of protest. Last autumn, she quit as deputy leader because she was unhappy with the way the positions within the party roster were allocated.