Via the Local:
Sweden's centre-right Alliance government and the Green Party have reached an agreement on changes to the country's immigration policies specifically designed to diminish the influence of the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats.
The four government parties, the Moderates, Christian Democrats, Centre Party, and Liberal Party (Folkpartiet) have forged a comprehensive framework agreement with the Greens which Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt called "historic".
"This lays the long-term groundwork for a humane, just, and orderly migration policy," he said during a Thursday morning press conference.
He added that the agreement means that Sweden has made a clear choice about where the country's migration policies are heading.
"We're going to continue on the road toward humanity and order, this is a choice which closes the door on xenophobic forces," said Reinfledt.
The parties agree that there is a problem with the identity demands placed on people looking to reunite with their relatives who have immigrated to Sweden, the Green Party's Mikaela Valtersson said.
Families from Somalia, for example, have a hard time reuniting due to the lack of official documentation about their identity.
The various options for confirming someone's identity will be improved, with one option being the use of DNA matching technologies.
Sweden also plans to launch an independent migration research institute.
Via the Local:
Illegal immigrants in Sweden should in future have the right to government-funded healthcare and education, and be able to start their own companies, the government has agreed.
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The parties say there are still a number of questions to resolve, including the issue of who will pay for illegal immigrants' healthcare or the kind of care and education to which they will be entitled.
