Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister, Ebba Busch, has publicly criticised the Sami people's rights to graze reindeer herds on their ancestral lands. These statements were made in late April and May, as the country prepared for national elections scheduled for 13 September.
Ms Busch stated at a press conference that reindeer husbandry "is an industry that affects very large areas, but has limited economic significance". Her party, the Christian Democrats, a junior partner in Sweden's centre-right coalition government, has advocated for a reduction in reindeer numbers. They also propose that reindeer husbandry should no longer be considered a "national interest" and that the state should "reclaim responsibility" for land used by herders.
The government's objective is to facilitate mineral resource exploitation in Sweden's sparsely populated north and to expand its nuclear power capabilities. This aligns with Sweden and the EU's broader goal to decrease reliance on Chinese imports.
Åsa Larsson Blind, a Swedish-Sami politician and board member of the Sami parliament, described the recent rhetoric as "quite astonishing". She noted that anti-Sami sentiment is not new in the run-up to elections, but the current scope is significant. Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen, head of the Gabna community, expressed concerns that plans by the state-owned mining company LKAB to expand an iron ore mine near Kiruna could severely impact Sami traditional herding routes.
Peter Kullgren, a Christian Democrat board member, stated that Sweden has a responsibility to protect Sami rights, but the government must also balance these with other public interests. LKAB confirmed that the mine expansion process is in its early stages, with an application under review and a consultation process ongoing. The company has submitted a reindeer herding impact assessment with proposed measures to support continued herding.