‘We Are the Good Guys’ Ideological positioning of the nationalist party Sverigedemokraterna in contemporary Swedish politics ANDERS HELLSTRÖM AND TOM NILSSON Malmö University, Sweden ABSTRACT This article explores the ideological positioning of Sverigedemokra- terna (SD; the Sweden Democrats) in contemporary Swedish politics. Comparative research on nationalist parties pays very little attention to SD, despite the fact that following the general elections in 2006 it came close to consolidating a permanent position in Swedish politics. In the analysis, we highlight the recurrent rhetorical figures in the public debate as manifested in the media coverage from September 2006 to May 2007. The ideological positioning of SD evolves in the interaction between its self-image and the counter arguments adopted by SD-antagonists. Although the established parties were careful to distance themselves from SD, our analysis indicates a possible taming of SD in the run-up to the general elections in 2010. The party’s monocultural nationalist messages may also become more widely accepted and still allow it to be considered as ‘one of the good guys’. KEYWORDS media ● migration ● nationalism ● New-right ● ‘people’s home’ ● populism ● Social Democracy ● Sverigedemokraterna (the Sweden Democrats) ● Sweden INTRODUCTION In May 2007, the Swedish nationalist party Sverigedemokraterna (SD; the Sweden Democrats) held its annual meeting. Finding accommodation proved difficult, as local conference arrangers were either concerned about riots, or turned down their request due to SD’s controversial image. The party secretary, Björn Söder, responded that ‘In Skåne, 1 we long for the other side of Öresund as did the eastern Germans before the tumbling of ARTICLE © The Author(s), 2010. Reprints and permissions: http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav Ethnicities, Vol 10(1): 55–76; 354214; DOI:10.1177/1468796809354214 http://etn.sagepub.com