Moderate Politician Mats Sander Faces Scrutiny Over Undisclosed Shareholding in Defense Company Mildef

Mats Sander, a Moderate Party politician and chairman of Helsingborg's municipal council, has come under intense scrutiny for failing to disclose his ownership of shares in the defense company Mildef while inviting the same company to official meetings at the Swedish Parliament. The controversy emerged following an investigation by Ekot that revealed Sander held shares valued at approximately 180,000 kronor in Mildef, a figure well above the legal reporting threshold of two price base amounts (over 117,000 kronor for 2025).

Sander served as a substitute member of the Swedish Parliament from September 2024 until May 2025. During this time, he invited Mildef, a prominent Swedish arms industry company based in his hometown Helsingborg, to a defense committee meeting at the parliament. At the time of this meeting, he reportedly held shares valued at around 100,000 kronor in the company, raising concerns of a potential conflict of interest.

Despite these revelations, Sander acknowledged the failure to report his stock ownership to the parliament’s registry, characterizing it as an unintentional mistake which he has since corrected. He emphasized that there was no intention to conceal the shareholding. Nevertheless, the incident has sparked questions about political transparency and conflict of interest compliance, especially given that Sander remains the top candidate on the Moderates' list in Helsingborg for the upcoming election, as confirmed by local party chairman Hugo Abrahamsson.

Sander’s failure to disclose shares while simultaneously engaging Mildef in parliamentary activities highlights the challenges politicians face in maintaining transparency and ethical standards regarding financial interests. This event underlines the importance of strict adherence to disclosure laws designed to prevent conflicts between personal financial stakes and public political duties.

The case continues to draw attention as preparations for the election intensify, with observers watching how the Moderates address the controversy and whether Sander’s position will be affected moving forward.