Swedish Women Forced Out of Public Life by Hatred and Harassment

Sweden's government equality agency warns that rising hatred, threats, and harassment against female politicians is forcing women to self-censor and scaring them away from politics entirely. This creates what officials call "a major threat to democracy" in a country long considered a global leader in gender equality.

The issue gained national attention last October when Anna-Karin Hatt resigned as leader of the Centre Party after just five months in the role. She cited constant threats and hatred as the reason for stepping down. "To constantly feel that you need to look behind you, and that you don't feel completely safe, even in your own home, this affects me much deeper than I thought," Hatt said at the time.

Her resignation came three years after a man was convicted of killing Ing-Marie Wieselgren, a psychiatric coordinator, and plotting to kill then-Centre Party leader Annie Lööf at a democracy festival. The incident highlighted how political violence has escalated beyond threats to actual attacks.

Public figures and researchers confirm that Sweden's political climate has become more hostile and polarized in recent years. This shift is silencing public debate and affecting legislation, according to experts who study the phenomenon.

Linn Saal, head of analysis at Sweden's Government Agency for Gender Equality, explains the broader impact: "This climate scares many people and groups, and encourages many women to think twice before engaging in political work." She points out that young women especially feel vulnerable in public positions, which affects their ability to do their jobs and live normal lives.

The numbers back up these concerns. A 2025 survey by Sweden's National Council for Crime Prevention found that 26.3% of elected women faced threats and harassment last year because of their positions, compared to 23.6% of men. But the gap widens when it comes to feeling vulnerable - 32.7% of women reported feeling this way, compared to 24% of men.

Politicians with foreign backgrounds face even higher rates of vulnerability at 31.5%, regardless of gender, compared to 24.1% for those with Swedish backgrounds. The most common response to these threats is reducing social media activity, followed by avoiding participation or staying silent on certain issues.

Sandra Håkansson, a researcher at Uppsala University who studies gender, politics, and political violence, says many politicians, especially women, avoid making statements on high-risk issues. This negatively affects public debate and, consequently, legislation. She points to immigration policy as one area where far-right positions have become mainstream partly because women's voices are being silenced.

"Women tend to be more positive toward receiving refugees, while men are more critical, but women are more silent in this debate," Håkansson explains. "This is probably one of the reasons we don't see more diverse opinions." She describes hatred and threats as "occupational hazards" facing female politicians and calls violence a force that "sets the boundaries of public discussions."

Sweden's freedom of information laws mean most residents' addresses and personal data are publicly available online. Criminal gangs have used this information to carry out deadly bombings at homes across the country, which has increased politicians' sense of vulnerability.

Amineh Kakabaveh, a former Swedish parliamentarian of Kurdish-Iranian origin who previously had police protection due to death threats, identifies two key factors in the problem: social media's growing influence and Sweden's increasingly "harsh and hostile" political climate. She notes that parties like the far-right Sweden Democrats, which promotes traditional values rooted in male-dominated culture, now hold positions within power structures.

As a woman with foreign origins, Kakabaveh faced attacks on multiple levels, including racist attacks and threats from extremists and foreign entities. "I live with this reality today, but the important thing is that we don't allow ourselves to be silenced," she says.

Gender Equality Minister Nina Larsson acknowledges the democratic damage: "When women are afraid to practice politics or are silenced, democracy and free debate suffer." She calls for a "clear cultural change" regarding online conduct rules and wants social media platforms to take greater responsibility for stopping hatred and threats.

After Hatt's resignation, 26 women from the Centre Party's women's organization issued a joint statement supporting her. They had recently completed a leadership program called "Women Take Charge" as part of the party's women's empowerment initiative. The group warned that Hatt's departure shouldn't pass without real action, as hatred and threats are forcing political leaders to withdraw from public life.

The situation represents a significant setback for Sweden, which has long prided itself on constitutional protections for free speech and assembly. But the statistics reveal a different reality for politicians, especially women and those from minority backgrounds. The self-censorship and withdrawal from public life threatens the diverse representation that democracy requires to function effectively.