Sweden: Right-wing party get 4 chairmanships in parliament

STOCKHOLM (AP) — A right-wing populist party that received the second-most votes in Sweden’s general election last month has landed the chairmanships of four parliamentary committees. With them, the Sweden Democrats party gains the ability to wield more influence in mainstream Swedish politics. The positions to be held by party lawmakers include chairing the Riksdag’s justice, foreign affair, business affairs and labor market committees. In addition to the four chairperson posts, Sweden Democrats gets to name the vice-chairs of parliament’s civil affairs, traffic, defense and tax committees. The nationalist and anti-immigration party with roots in the neo-Nazi movement is part of right-wing bloc that won a narrow majority in the Riksdag in the Sept. 11 election.