Sweden judicial investigation finds 43 lay judges and 5 judges committed crimes

An investigation by P1-Kaliber has revealed that 43 politically appointed lay judges (nämndemän) and five professional judges committed various crimes between 2021 and 2025 while serving in the judiciary. The offenses include fraud, drunk driving, sexual offenses, and child pornography.

Data shows that the convicted lay judges represent most political parties. The Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) had the highest number with twelve convicted members, followed by the Moderates (Moderaterna) with eight and the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterna) with seven.

The findings have sparked debate regarding the integrity of the Swedish judicial system and the potential for conflicts of interest. Critics argue that the current system of political appointment for lay judges may undermine public trust, suggesting that judicial roles should be based on legal merit rather than political affiliation. Legal experts noted that while municipal councils are responsible for vetting candidates, current checks appear to rely heavily on self-reporting by the candidates themselves.