{
  "id": 6589292,
  "title": "The Swedish town where saying no to refugees became good politics",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/the-swedish-town-where-saying-no-to-refugees-became-good-politics",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T13:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/09/10/the-swedish-town-where-saying-no-to-refugees-became-good-politics/234666"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Swedish town of Sjöbo, a 1988 referendum sparked controversy when two-thirds of residents voted against accepting refugees. This decision, which was rare in Sweden at the time, has now become a mainstream stance, gaining traction among many Swedes ahead of the upcoming general election. Bengt Lundgren, an 89-year-old pensioner who plans to vote for the far-right Sweden Democrats, believes the town's decision was ultimately correct. The Sweden Democrats, an ally supporting the minority right-wing coalition, are currently polling second nationwide in the final days before the election. The party won 43% of votes in Sjöbo during the 2022 general election, maintaining strong support in the southern town infamous for its contentious referendum.\n\nThe decision to take in around 15 refugees in 1987 came after Sweden adopted a new strategy to distribute refugees more evenly across the country. It sparked a heated clash between supporters and opponents, with one municipal councillor opposing the move, arguing that the next generation of Swedes would no longer be blonde and blue-eyed. He organized the referendum, which led to a heated divide among residents. Charlotte Ramel, a municipal councillor and leader of the opposing 'Yes' camp, faced threats and had her home vandalized. The 'No' side won the referendum with almost 68% of votes, causing a political storm in the country.\n\nHowever, over the past decade, views on immigration in Sweden have shifted dramatically. Around 20% of the country's population is born abroad, according to 2025 data from Statistics Sweden. Following the 2015 migrant crisis, successive left- and right-wing governments have implemented stricter immigration policies, with the current right-wing minority government further reducing numbers since 2022. The Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Akesson, have focused on reducing immigration, with re-migration (either deportation or incentives to return) as their top priority.\n\nEdmir Mehmeti, a 24-year-old from Sjöbo and a candidate for the Moderate Party, supports a restrictive immigration policy. Despite his family's struggles upon arriving from Kosovo in 1998, Mehmeti believes that saying fewer migrants are needed and considering deportation is now \"quite good politics\" in Sweden.",
  "summary": "SJÖBO, Sweden, Sept 10 — Almost 40 years ago, two-thirds of residents in Sweden’s Sjobo municipality vo...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}