End of ‘feminist’ foreign policy as Turkey still blocks NATO accession
EURACTIVOct 19, 2022
Sweden's new right-wing government on Tuesday announced it will scrap the country's "feminist foreign policy," calling it counterproductive. It was first launched in 2014 by former foreign minister Margot Wallström.
The policy was designed to advance gender equality as a basic goal of Sweden's foreign policy. It was seen as a condition for attaining the Nordic nation's objectives of achieving peace, security, and sustainable development.
Scrapping the "feminist" part of Sweden's foreign policy will make very little difference in national security realities. There are pressing issues concerning NATO — including complex dynamics with Turkey and Kurdish groups that must be worked out for accession to be successful. By scrapping this label, Sweden's foreign policy remains prioritized but loses the hypocrisy.
It's not surprising that Sweden's far-right government — led by a party formed out of a neo-Nazi movement — is tearing down the nation's groundbreaking foreign policy achievement on gender equity. All the successes this policy has built are being thrown out the window in the name of reactionary conservatism.