Tougher requirements for immigrants to Sweden

Sweden's government wants to set higher standards for immigrants when it comes to learning Swedish. Publicly financed language classes should be limited to three years and should conclude with a final exam, say Nyamko Sabuni, Minister for Integration, and Education Minister Jan Björklund. The newspaper comments: "It looks as if Europe's liberal powers, from Sarkozy's government in France to Rasmussen's in Denmark, have adopted a new tone: open disdain for those at the bottom. … Academics who come here have an easier time acquiring the language; they are paid. Anyone who is basically illiterate gets no such support. That's a signal from Sabuni and Björklund, who want to counteract their party's poor survey results."

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