Mullvad founder gave millions to extremist far right party

Donation and Initial Reactions

• Report: a Mullvad founder donated “millions” of SEK to Örebropartiet, allegedly ~75% of all donations to that party in the prior year.
• Several users say they will cancel Mullvad accounts over the donation; some used Mullvad specifically as an “ethical” alternative to Proton.
• Others say reacting to a founder’s private political giving by boycotting a technically solid service is overreach or inconsistent, since almost any vendor will fund something you dislike.

Nature of Örebropartiet and “Far-Right” Label

• Strong disagreement on how to classify the party:
  • Some call it extremist far-right, pointing to support for large‑scale deportations and language many see as dehumanizing.
  • Others describe it as “radical populist, left‑economic, nationalist,” or “left‑conservative,” with far‑left economic policies but hardline immigration stances.
• Cited policies: lower politicians’ salaries, reduced bureaucracy, free dental care/healthcare, strict migration, assimilation requirements, and repatriation/deportation of those not deemed adapted.

Immigration, Crime, and “Remigration” / Ethnic Cleansing Debate

• Sweden’s recent surge in gang violence and bombings is repeatedly linked (by some) to recent immigration from certain regions; others question the framing and data.
• Intense argument over whether mass deportation of specific ethnic/national groups counts as “ethnic cleansing” versus “harsh migration policy.”
• Some highlight legal definitions and Rome Statute; others object that “ethnic cleansing” is rhetorically loaded.
• Debate over whether targeting “Somalis on welfare” or “criminals with immigrant roots” is inherently racial/ethnic, and whether “Swede” is ethnicity vs nationality.

Mullvad’s Official Response

• A co‑founder clarifies Mullvad has two founders and that the donation was a private act, not company policy.
• States Mullvad’s political mission is limited to privacy/free speech; they cooperate with people of many views if they share those core values.
• Some users accept or are indifferent; others find this stance inadequate, invoking the “paradox of tolerance” and arguing that funding intolerant movements is incompatible with a pro‑freedom brand.

Customer Ethics, Proton, and VPN Skepticism

• Proton is mentioned as having its own political controversy (support for a right‑wing U.S. party, sponsoring a far‑right YouTuber).
• Several argue that if you boycott Mullvad for this, consistency would force you to scrutinize nearly every provider.
• A side thread questions the value of VPNs for “privacy” at all, suggesting many users overestimate what VPNs protect.

Left–Right Labels and Ideological Complexity

• Long meta‑discussion on whether “left” and “right” still have stable meanings.
• Some argue deportation/assimilation policies are structurally right‑wing regardless of economic positions.
• Others say modern politics scrambles these categories (e.g., “right” parties backing nationalization, “left” parties backing markets) and that left/right now often functions mainly as tribal branding.

Assimilation vs Multiculturalism (Japan Analogy)

• Some Swedes say expecting immigrants to learn the language, work, and “assimilate” is reasonable and widely supported.
• Others argue that “assimilation” language often masks racism and can never be fully satisfied for visibly different minorities.
• Japan is used as an example of a high‑trust but exclusionary society; experiences of racism there are contrasted with anecdotes of smooth integration.
• Ongoing tension between valuing distinct national cultures and supporting multiculturalism without coercive conformity.