Jamal El-Haj, a former Social Democrat MP, has founded a new political party called Enighetspartiet, aiming to participate in Sweden's upcoming elections. The party, which promotes immigration and religious freedom, particularly against anti-Muslim sentiment, held its inaugural meeting in Malmö with around 80 attendees.
Jamal El-Haj Launches New Political Party in Sweden
Jamal El-Haj Launches New Political Party
Jamal El-Haj has founded a new political party. Enighetspartiet is registered with the Election Authority, and its inaugural meeting took place last Saturday in Malmö.
Approximately 80 people attended the meeting, according to the Arabic-language online newspaper Alkompis, which first reported the event.
The newly established party intends to run in the national elections next year, as registered by the Election Authority on August 12. The registration also applies to regional and municipal elections across the country and the 2029 European Parliament elections.
Attended Controversial Conference
Jamal El-Haj was elected as a regular member of parliament for the Social Democrats in 2018. In the spring of 2023, he caused a stir by attending a Palestine conference linked to the terrorist organization Hamas, against his party's advice.
He took a break from some of his duties but remained a Social Democrat MP.
In early 2024, Sofie Löwenmark revealed in Expressen's editorial that El-Haj had attempted to use his position as an MP to influence an asylum case for a conservative imam. He was then urged to leave the Social Democrats, which he did.
Since then, he has remained in parliament as an independent, or political wild card.
Aims to Combat Anti-Muslim Sentiment
Last summer, Sydsvenskan reported that El-Haj planned to form a new party: Enighetspartiet. He has now been elected as party leader.
On Instagram, the party links to its 17-page manifesto, which includes views on welfare, education, environment, traffic, labor market, and crime prevention.
Enighetspartiet has a pro-immigration stance, believing that "Sweden needs more immigration – not less" to sustain welfare.
A special section is dedicated to religious freedom, with a particular focus on "the hatred directed at Muslims, a situation often overlooked."
Jamal El-Haj previously declined a recruitment attempt from the Nyans Party, which focuses on Muslim rights.
Expressen has sought El-Haj, who has requested to respond to questions at a later time.