In a new series of articles, The Local interviews foreigners voting in the Swedish election for the first time. Here's our last interview with scientist Pedro Veliça – and here's our guide to voting in Sweden.
Could you start by telling me a little bit about yourself?
I am originally from India. I moved to Sweden in 2021 after marriage – my husband works here – and Gothenburg has been my home since. I was a financial news editor until a year ago at a Singapore-based media company. I decided to go back to studying and am now a master's student majoring in gendering practices at the University of Gothenburg.
And you're not yet a citizen, are you, so this is your first time voting in the regional and local elections, is that right? How does it feel?
I'm excited. It's a privilege. It's a responsibility. It kind of feels like you belong once you have that responsibility. I've been here since 2021 and it feels like I do belong because I do have a voice, at least at some level, which is great.
What issues matter the most to you?
I am an immigrant, so the anti-immigrant rhetoric around the world obviously bothers me, and it's no different in Sweden. There has been a rise in that kind of sentiment, which is not very pleasant to see. I'm definitely worried about that.
Equality and the climate are other areas that I'm really focused on. If we're not paying attention to the climate now, I don't know when we will. It's clearly becoming a bigger problem. Closer to home we've not experienced it so badly as perhaps our neighbours in France or the UK have, but I think it's something that we cannot ignore.
I'm glad to be in a city that prides itself on being the greenest city in Sweden. But I think we can always do more as a country and as a city.
Do you mind if I ask you what party you're voting for, if you feel comfortable sharing that?
I'm going to vote for the Green Party because their focus areas are the same as mine. I feel an alignment in values for all the reasons that I've mentioned: the focus on equality, climate, making sure immigrants are not targeted the way they currently are.
Living in Gothenburg, with all its diversity, you realise how much it's part of the city and its culture that when you go on the trams or buses, anywhere you go, you just see this diversity, which is one of the reasons I'm so happy to call this place home.
Any way in which it's threatened is a problem. Not just because I'll be impacted. I believe I do have the privilege that if it happens, I will have other options – I may or may not have them, but I still feel that I have a certain amount of privilege.
A lot of people who are coming or who have come in do not have that privilege, and it is something that we need to account for.
I'm also a little worried about some of the deportation orders that have come in in recent times. Whether it is somebody who's fled from a crisis-ridden or war-ridden country, whether it's somebody who's lived here for 20 plus years and is in no condition to move to another place or take care of themselves – like that gentleman who has, I believe, dementia.
Some of those things are very problematic. People who've lived here their whole lives still not feeling sure about when they might be the next ones to be asked to go to a country that has not been their home. All of those issues are very, very concerning.
How easy have you found it to inform yourself about Swedish politics and what the various parties stand for?
It's not that difficult, but it's been an education. If you've lived here, you broadly understand, but Swedish politics is complicated in the sense that the names often don't align with their values. So when I heard "Liberals" I was like "that means a certain thing outside of Sweden" and then you realise that they're not liberal in that sense, and they're more centre-right.
It's just that you have to understand where they come from, what are the things that they are talking about, who do they partner with, and I think The Local does a very good job in explaining some of that, especially in terms that are easier for us to understand.
But it also requires you to drill down a bit, and I think that's our responsibility as voters to look at what parties are saying as well as what they've done, because parties can say whatever they want to gain votes – I mean, it's like that everywhere.
What about the regional and local elections which you're voting in? There tends to be a lot of focus on the national elections, so is it difficult to understand how the local or regional systems work?
It is a bit complicated, I would say. The entire process is quite different from India. I've been trying to understand things as simple as what do you do on voting day? How do you vote? There are three kinds of ballot papers. This is how you vote. You can vote this way or that way. All of that is quite a lot to take in, but we have time and there are resources out there, including government-provided resources, to explain. So it's tough, but it's not that tough.
What are your thoughts on the Swedish election campaign in general?
If I compare it to India, it's interesting to see that they are kind of muted in comparison. While people are complaining or pointing out how, you know, T-Centralen was taken over by certain party ads, the scale isn't quite the same as I've seen, which is kind of a relief.
Some of the campaign material is a bit offensive, and I don't know how that works, if there is some sort of oversight of what is OK and what isn't.
The incident that we saw in Skaraborg with the Västtrafik buses and the drivers [who went on strike over Sweden Democrat ads urging Somalis to go back home] was a terrible thing that turned into a good thing. It was disheartening that somebody thought this was a good ad to go with, but the fact that you have the right to make yourself heard and be able to do something about it, that's positive. In that sense, it's way more dynamic than India.
What do you want native Swedish voters to know about immigrant life in Sweden?
It's hard to say, because honestly, I have not experienced any racism in the five or six years that I've been here, which is good, but I would also say that as an immigrant, you tend to police yourself a lot more than anyone else. There is a tendency to stick to the rules and stay in line so that you don't stand out more than you already do because of the way you look.
I would like other immigrants to understand that there seems to be a hierarchy among immigrants. It's kind of unsaid, but there is, because you provide a certain kind of talent. There cannot be hierarchy among immigrants. One immigrant cannot think they're better than others.
I'm just so lucky that all the Swedes I've met have been really welcoming. But it's also true that I work a lot with international folks, so in a gathering which is multicultural it's very hard for somebody to be racist, I guess. So it's not something that I can speak to from experience.
What do you want to say to foreigners voting for the first time in Sweden?
Do your homework. Like I said, it's a responsibility. Please take it seriously. Try to understand the party, their politics, what's happening, and don't get into this mindset of "oh, it doesn't affect me, so it doesn't matter".
Don't think "oh, this anti-immigration rhetoric or pro-immigration policy may not affect me that much". Everything affects everyone. Sweden is the way it is because of how it's been. If you take away that diversity, I think it'll be all the worse for it.
Honestly, the best thing about especially Gothenburg is, like I said, the diversity. I can't imagine the city not being this diverse. I wouldn't feel as welcome as I do if it weren't for the diversity. So bear in mind that your voice, your vote, can make a big difference.
Do not take it lightly at all, and do vote.
Here at The Local we believe that, regardless of whether or not you can vote, you have the right to be kept informed and heard in the public debate on the issues that matter to you. We're covering the Swedish election based on what our readers – foreign professionals in Sweden – have told us you are interested in. Click here to find out how to stay on top of our coverage.