Staffanstorp Politicians Acquitted of Misconduct in Refugee Quota Refusal Case

Six politicians from Staffanstorp, including council chairman Christian Sonesson of the Moderaterna party, were unanimously acquitted by Lund District Court on January 29, 2026, of gross misconduct charges related to their 2022 decision to refuse acceptance of quota refugees. The case centered on the municipality's decision to prioritize Ukrainian refugees over four Syrian quota refugees ordered by Migrationsverket. Prosecutor Magdalena Pettersson charged six of seven council members, but the court found the decision lacked the requisite precision to be deemed an exercise of authority violating individual rights, a necessity for misconduct charges. Judge Lennart Johansson highlighted that Migrationsverket had rescinded its directive to send refugees to Staffanstorp, negating the municipality's obligation. The ruling also criticized prosecuting dissenting council members who did not formally register opposition, and dismissed damage claims from the Syrian family in question. Despite a previous appellate court ruling that Staffanstorp had discriminated against this refugee family, the current trial affirmed the politicians' innocence in terms of criminal misconduct. Sonesson expressed gratitude for public support throughout the legal process. It remains unclear if the refugee family will appeal the acquittal, as their legal counsel considers next steps. This verdict underscores ongoing tensions and legal challenges in Sweden’s refugee policy implementation at the local government level.