A Swedish politician faces official criticism for emailing a supermarket about a protest sign. The controversy began when Haninge Municipality decided to privatize the popular Nakterhusskolan school in Vega earlier this year.
Parents strongly opposed the privatization plan. They posted a protest notice at the local Ica Maxi supermarket in Haninge.
Sven Gustafsson, the municipal council chairman, then emailed the store owner from his official account. The owner subsequently removed the protest sign.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman (JO) now criticizes the politician's actions. Per Lennerbrant from the JO stated the email came from Gustafsson's official address with no indication he wrote as a private citizen.
Although the message contained no explicit demand to remove the protest list, the context made its purpose clear, officials said. The email's timing and content strongly suggested it aimed to have the protest notice taken down.
The core privatization issue was settled in September when the Swedish Schools Inspectorate rejected Raoul Wallenberg Group's application to take over the school.
This case highlights the fine line between politicians' official duties and personal interventions. Using government resources to influence private business decisions raises legitimate questions about proper conduct.
The incident shows how local political decisions can spark community reactions that test the boundaries of appropriate official behavior.