Jessica Stegrud's Controversial Remarks Spark Debate on Swedish Culture

Parisa Liljestrand (M) and Lawen Redar (S) debated Sweden's new cultural canon on SVT. "It's telling that a Swedish-born Kurd and a Persian are debating a Swedish cultural canon on Aktuellt," wrote SD's Jessica Stegrud. Parisa Liljestrand responded, "Does Jessica Stegrud think we shouldn't participate in the debate because of our origins?"

Jessica Stegrud's words during Tuesday's "Aktuellt" on SVT have not gone unnoticed.

Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand emphasized in an Instagram post that she came to Sweden at the age of three and that Sweden is the only place on earth she would call home.

"Does Jessica Stegrud think we shouldn't participate in the debate because of our origins?" she asks.

Many on social media have reacted to Jessica Stegrud's post.

Migration Minister Johan Forsell also commented on X.

"Relevant question by the Culture Minister. What did you really mean?" he writes.

Stegrud's Response

On Wednesday morning, Stegrud published a new post stating:

"As telling - for our times - as the content of my previous tweet, are all the comments that followed. No one (as far as I've seen) showed themselves capable of reading what I actually wrote and then reflecting for a second on it. That's how low the level is and how strong the reflex is to just spew, lecture, or air one's own prejudices," she writes on Wednesday morning.

She also responded to Johan Forsell: "I meant what I wrote - that it is telling for our times that it is two people with immigrant backgrounds debating Swedish culture. Shouldn't Liljestrand be allowed to do it? Yes, why shouldn't she?"

Expressen has sought Jessica Stegrud, who responds that she will comment on the issue on X.