Sverige Democrats' David Lång is leaving his parliamentary post, the party announces. This is after he sang a song with a racist message at the EU election party.
In the spring, a version of the French song "L'amour toujours" spread in far-right circles with the lyrics "ausländer raus" ("foreigners out") and "Deutschland den deutschen" ("Germany for the Germans"). SD's group leader Linda Lindberg says in a statement that Lång, at her request, has chosen to leave.
"David Lång has, at my request, chosen to resign from his parliamentary post. He has sat in parliament since our entry in 2010 and has done much good for the party. This does not excuse his thoughtless behaviour yesterday, which he himself understands."
David Lång says he regrets the incident.
"I picked up this song on social media, I now understand that the lyrics have been sung in contexts that I previously had no deeper knowledge of. It was not intentional on my part, and I regret if anyone took offence", he says in a statement.
It was when "L'amour toujours" was played at SD's election party on Sunday evening that MP David Lång sang the German lyrics – but fell silent when he saw Expressen's reporter.
According to Expressen's reporter, he then tried to take the recording equipment. David Lång has sat in parliament for 14 years.
TT has sought Linda Lindberg and David Lång.
Corrected: In an earlier version of the fact box, the wrong season was stated for when a clip spread.
The Eurodisco hit "L'amour toujours" from 2000 by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino has got a far-right text and has been adopted as a battle song by Europe's far-right.
A video from a luxury club on the German island of Sylt got widespread dissemination in the spring.
The video showed wealthy young Germans singing "ausländer raus" and "Deutschland den deutschen", i.e. "foreigners out" and "Germany for the Germans".
The song has been banned from Oktoberfest in Munich and stopped from being played when Austria's football national team plays matches.
