Jimmie Åkesson Explained

Jimmie Åkesson
Honorific-Suffix:SD
Office:Leader of the Sweden Democrats
Term Start:7 May 2005
Predecessor:Mikael Jansson
Office1:Member of the Riksdag
Term Start1:4 October 2010
Constituency1:Jönköping County
Office2:Chairman of the Sweden Democratic Youth
Term Start2:21 June 2000
Term End2:7 May 2005
Predecessor2:Jimmy Windeskog
Successor2:Martin Kinnunen
Birth Name:Per Jimmie Åkesson
Birth Date:17 May 1979
Birth Place:Bromölla, Sweden
Party:Sweden Democrats
Otherparty:Moderate (MUF)
Partner:Louise Erixon (2011–2020)
Children:1
Education:Lund University

Per Jimmie Åkesson (in Swedish pronounced as /ˈjɪ̌mːɪ ˈôːkɛˌsɔn/; born 17 May 1979) is a Swedish politician and author, serving as leader of the Sweden Democrats since 2005. He has been a member of the Riksdag (SD) for Jönköping County since 2010. He previously served as leader of the Sweden Democratic Youth from 2000 until 2005.

Early life and education

Jimmie Åkesson was born in Ivetofta in Skåne County,[1] but grew up in Sölvesborg in Blekinge County.[2] His father, Stefan, is a businessman who ran a floor laying business and his mother, Britt Marie, was a care provider in a nursing home. Åkesson's parents divorced when he was young and he was raised primarily by his mother.[3] [4] [5]

From 1995 to 1998, Åkesson completed a three-year social studies program at the Furulundsskolan Institute in Sölvesborg. In 1999, he began studying political science, law, economics, human geography and philosophy at Lund University, without graduating, and has stated that he became interested in politics around this time.[1] [5] [6] Prior to working full-time in politics, Åkesson worked as a web developer and founded a web design company BMJ Aktiv with Björn Söder, the former party secretary of the Sweden Democrats.[1] [7]

Political career

Youth politics

Åkesson was a member of the Moderate Youth League, the youth wing of the Moderate Party, but left the Moderates to join the original version of Sweden Democratic Youth Association (the youth wing of the Sweden Democrats) in 1995, although some sources state 1994.[2] [3] In his autobiography, Åkesson wrote that he decided to become a member of the SD on New Year's Eve in 1994 but did not formally sign membership papers until the new year and did not want to join while the party's first chairman Anders Klarström was in charge due to considering him too radical.[8] [9] [10] In interviews, Åkesson has claimed that he joined the SD after many of the party's original and more hardline members had left.[3] [4] In an article for the SDU's magazine in 1997, Åkesson wrote "We had the first contact with SD sometime in December of the same year [1994], and during a meeting at New Year's Eve we decided to start working party politically, and that a local SDU branch would eventually be formed."[11] [12] Journalist and former SD press secretary Christian Krappedal corroborated that Åkesson became a member of the party in the spring of 1995.[13]

In 1995, he also co-founded a local chapter of the Sweden Democratic Youth Association.[2] In 1997, he was elected as a deputy member of the party board.[2] The SD's policies that he claims he was most attracted to at first were its view on the European Union, and its policy on immigration.

In the 1998 Swedish general election, at the age of 19, Åkesson was elected to public office as a councilman in Sölvesborg Municipality.[2] The same year, he also became deputy chairman of the newly established Sweden Democratic Youth (Sverigedemokratisk Ungdom), and later, from 2000 to 2005, was chairman of the organisation.[2]

2005–present: Party leader

In 2005, he defeated party leader Mikael Jansson in a party election to become the party leader of the Sweden Democrats (SD). During his chairmanship of the youth league and as party leader, Åkesson has been described and has presented himself as part of a driving force to moderate the SD's policies and image.[14] [15] [5] During his student years at Lund University, Åkesson got to know Björn Söder, Richard Jomshof and Mattias Karlsson with whom he formed the National Democratic Student Association in Lund. The group became known as the "Scania Gang" or "Fantastic Four" within the SD; a political clique of younger members who had the goal of taking over the party's leadership and sought to moderate and reform the SD.[16]

In the 2010 Swedish general election, the SD for the first time crossed the election threshold and entered the Riksdag, with 5.70% of the votes, gaining 20 seats.[17] Åkesson, who was placed first on the party's national ballot, was elected as a Member of the Riksdag (MP) along with 19 of his fellow party members.[18] [19]

In September 2014, Sveriges Radio (SR) reported that Åkesson had spent upwards of 500,000 kronor ($70,000) in 2014 alone on online betting. The sum is more than the politician would have earned all year, after tax, reported SR.[20] The revelation caused an uproar, both among people who view Åkesson as unreliable and those who opposed SR's decision to publish the information. Among the latter were former Green Party Spokesperson Maria Wetterstrand and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.[21] Åkesson himself called SR's actions an attempt at character assassination.[22]

Following the 2014 Swedish general election, Åkesson announced he would be on sick leave due to burnout.[23] [24] In early 2015, Åkesson was named Sweden's most important opinion leader for the calendar year 2014 by the Swedish magazine DSM in their annual rankings.[25] [26]

On 27 March 2015, Åkesson publicly announced that he would return to his duties as party leader for the SD, albeit initially in a somewhat reduced role, on the SVT program Skavlan, as well as in an open letter on his Facebook page.[27]

In the 2018 Swedish general election, the SD got 17.6% of the votes (+4.7 pp), after the Swedish Social Democratic Party (28.4%, -2.6 pp) and the Moderate Party (19.8%, -3.5 pp). SD had 62 of 349 seats in the next Riksdag.

The SD saw a greater rise in support during the 2022 Swedish general election under Åkesson's leadership with the party overtaking the Moderates to become the second largest in the Riksdag.[28]

Following the Palestinian attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed more than 1,000 Israelis, people were spotted celebrating in various Swedish cities.[29] Åkesson immediately stated that these people do not belong in Sweden and that he is open to expel those who praise terrorism.[30] During a speech on 26 November 2023, Åkesson asserted that Swedish-Palestinians who have travelled to Gaza should not expect help to return to Sweden.[31]

In August 2023, the Nobel Foundation invited Åkesson as an official guest as part of the Swedish delegation at the annual Nobel Banquet for the first time having previously denied him an invitation before.[32]

Personal life

Åkesson was engaged to Louise Erixon, a former parliamentary aid to Björn Söder and the daughter of former Sweden Democrats MP Margareta Gunsdotter. Erixon served as the mayor of Sölvesborg from 2019 to 2022, and she was one of the first Sweden Democrats to hold a local mayorship.[33] [34] They have a son, born in 2013.[35]

On 24 April 2020, Erixon announced on her Facebook page that the couple had separated some time previously.[36]

Outside of politics, Åkesson is also a musician and plays keyboard for the rock group Swedish: Bedårande Barn alongside Peter London.[37] [38] Åkesson currently resides in Sölvesborg. According to his personal profile, his main interests are playing golf and watching football. He is a supporter of Mjällby AIF.[39]

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Jimmie Åkesson håller så låg profil här . Lars . Lindström . . 18 September 2010 . 5 February 2019 . 7 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190207020933/https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/val-2010/jimmie-akesson-haller-sa-lag-profil-har/ . live .
  2. Web site: Jimmie Åkesson en kort presentation . Jimmie Åkesson . 3 October 2010 . sv . 13 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190913165458/http://www.jimmieakesson.se/pres.php . live .
  3. Web site: Jimmie Akesson, the architect of Sweden's rising far-right. The Times of Israel. 28 February 2021. 9 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201109025515/https://www.timesofisrael.com/jimmie-akesson-the-architect-of-swedens-rising-far-right/. live.
  4. News: Who is Jimmie Åkesson, the architect of Sweden's rising far-right? . . 5 September 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211030194442/https://www.thelocal.se/20180905/who-is-jimmie-kesson-the-architect-of-swedens-rising-far-right/ . 30 October 2021 .
  5. Web site: Jimmie Akesson, the architect of Sweden's rising far right. 5 September 2018. 28 February 2021. 5 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180905074709/http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/jimmie-akesson-the-architect-of-sweden-s-rising-far-right/article/531153. live.
  6. Web site: Vilken utbildning har partiledarna? . 1 August 2023 . Piraja . 27 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230127223801/https://www.piraja.se/noje/vilken-utbildning-har-partiledarna/ . live .
  7. Web site: The Rise of Sweden Democrats: Islam, Populism and the End of Swedish Exceptionalism . 20 January 2023 . 16 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230116141714/https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-rise-of-sweden-democrats-and-the-end-of-swedish-exceptionalism/ . live .
  8. Web site: 24 July 2010. 2 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100702002909/http://sverigedemokraterna.se/vart-parti/jimmie-akesson-sverigedemokraternas-partiledare/. Sverigedemokraterna.se. Möt Jimmie Åkesson – Sverigedemokraternas partiledare.
  9. Web site: 28 November 2015. 28 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151128101036/http://expo.se/2015/akesson-okanda-skrift-anslot-sig-under-nazibelastad-period_6983.html. Expo. Åkesson okända skrift: Anslöt sig under nazibelastad period.
  10. Web site: 26 November 2019. sv. Sverigedemokraterna (SD). Expo.se. 13 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190913091106/https://expo.se/fakta/wiki/sverigedemokraterna-sd. live.
  11. https://web.archive.org/web/20151128101117/http://expo.se/www/download/151127_sdu_syd_okt_97.pdf SDU-Syds medlemsblad 1997
  12. Jimmy Åkesson. 1997. SDU-Syds medlemsblad år 1997. SDU Syd. Sagan om SDU Sölvesborg.
  13. Web site: 28 November 2015. 28 November 2015. Emelie. Nyman. Skrift ger ny bild av Åkessons förflutna. Svenska Dagbladet. 29 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190729124109/https://www.svd.se/expo-skrift-ger-ny-bild-av-akessons-forflutna. live.
  14. Web site: EU elections 2014: 'I can hear the boots of the 1930s marching through Europe' – Telegraph. 14 May 2014. The Daily Telegraph. 13 September 2014. 8 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221108224958/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10823028/EU-elections-2014-I-can-hear-the-boots-of-the-1930s-marching-through-Europe.html. live.
  15. Book: Widfeldt, Anders . 2015 . Extreme Right Parties in Scandinavia . Routledge . 978-0-415-26589-8 .
  16. News: Fra kjelleren til Riksdagen. Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Laila Ø.. Bakken. 25 September 2010. 13 November 2010. 29 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100929184605/http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/verden/1.7304305. live.
  17. Web site: Swedish far-right leader: Success due to immigration backlash. CNN. 13 September 2014. 1 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190701051114/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/20/sweden.election/. live.
  18. Web site: Invalda valet 2010 . . 22 September 2010 . sv . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100927180133/http://www.riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=1021 . 27 September 2010 .
  19. News: Hardtalk – Jimmie Akesson: Swedish immigration is 'extreme'. 25 January 2011. BBC News. 13 September 2014. 23 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201123165251/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9372832.stm. live.
  20. News: . 12 September 2014. Sweden Democrats head hit by gambling scandal. The Local. 27 September 2014. 20 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140920025801/http://www.thelocal.se/20140912/sweden-democrats-in-new-secret-film-scandal. live.
  21. News: Flores. Juan. 13 September 2014. Åkesson-avslöjande väcker upprörda känslor. sv. Dagens Nyheter. 27 September 2014. 16 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140916191514/http://www.dn.se/valet-2014/akesson-avslojande-vacker-upprorda-kanslor/. live.
  22. News: Eriksson. Gustaf. Olsson. Hanna. 12 September 2014. Åkesson om spelavslöjandet: "Försök till karaktärsmord". sv. Aftonbladet. 27 September 2014. 3 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141003094913/http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/valaret2014/article19524790.ab. live.
  23. Web site: Jimmie Åkesson sjukskriven. Sverigedemokraterna. 1 May 2015. 11 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150511171757/https://sverigedemokraterna.se/oppet-brev-fran-jimmie-akesson/. live.
  24. News: Åkesson sjukskriven på obestämd tid. Dagens Nyheter. 17 October 2014. 1 May 2015. 23 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190623182107/https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/akesson-sjukskriven-pa-obestamd-tid/. live.
  25. Web site: Archived copy . 2 February 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150202174226/http://dsm.nu/jimmie2014.pdf . 2 February 2015 .
  26. Web site: Sidan finns inte – SD-kuriren. https://web.archive.org/web/20150202001048/http://sdkuriren.se/jimmie-akesson-utsedd-till-sveriges-viktigaste-opinionsbildare-2014 . dead . 2 February 2015 .
  27. Web site: Jimmie Åkesson – Sverigevänner, Efter nära ett halvårs... – Facebook. Facebook. 1 May 2015. 31 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171031065750/https://www.facebook.com/jimmieakesson/posts/10153226139661108?fref=nf. live.
  28. News: How the Sweden Democrats became the second biggest party . Sveriges Radio . 12 September 2022 . 21 September 2022 . 21 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220921212100/https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/the-rise-of-the-sweden-democrats . live .
  29. News: Sköld . Henrik . 9 October 2023 . Efter Hamas attack på Israel: Klipp visar firanden i Sverige . sv . SVT Nyheter . 23 October 2023.
  30. News: Haglund/TT . Peter Wallberg/TT, Anja . 10 October 2023 . Åkesson: Borde kunna utvisa de som hyllar Hamas . sv . Svenska Dagbladet . 23 October 2023 . 1101-2412.
  31. News: Svahn/TT . Niklas . 25 November 2023 . Åkesson: Vi behöver riva moskéer i Sverige . sv . Svenska Dagbladet . 26 November 2023 . 1101-2412.
  32. Web site: immie Åkesson (SD) is welcomed to the Nobel party - practice changes . 31 January 2024.
  33. News: Louise Erixon (SD) vald till kommunstyrelsens ordförande . SVT Nyheter . 26 November 2018 . 17 January 2019 . sv . Louise Erixon (SD) elected as mayor . 29 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181229031743/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/blekinge/har-valjs-louise-erixon-sd-till-kommunstyrelsens-ordforande . live .
  34. News: Olle . Lönnaeus . Richard Jomshof blir nytt SD-ansikte utåt . Sydsvenskan . 26 January 2015 . 16 May 2016 . sv . Richard Jomshof becomes the new face of SD outwards . 19 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160819104623/http://www.sydsvenskan.se/2015-01-26/richard-jomshof-blir-nytt-sd-ansikte-utat . live .
  35. News: Viktor . Adolfsson . Jimmie Åkesson har blivit pappa . Nyheter24 . 12 December 2013 . 16 May 2016 . sv . Jimmie Åkesson has become a father . 10 June 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160610020122/http://nyheter24.se/nyheter/politik/758717-jimmie-akesson-har-blivit-pappa . live .
  36. Web site: Jimmie Åkesson och Louise Erixon separerar. Swedish. 25 April 2020. 25 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200425165433/https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/jimmie-akesson-och-louise-erixon-separerar/. live.
  37. Web site: Jimmie Åkesson gör spelning tillsammans med Ultima Thule. 2 March 2021. 8 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108002017/https://www.expressen.se/kvallsposten/jimmie-akesson-gor-spelning-tillsammans-med-ultima-thule/. live.
  38. Web site: Så var Sverigedemokraternas Jimmie Åkesson på piano – och så låter den nationalistiska musiken. 8 March 2016. 2 March 2021. 23 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230423132705/https://www.gd.se/2016-03-08/sa-var-sverigedemokraternas-jimmie-akesson-pa-piano---och-sa-later-den-nationalistiska-musiken. live.
  39. Web site: Jimmie – Sverigedemokraterna . 19 November 2021 . 1 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190601124222/https://sd.se/jimmie/ . live .

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