Sweden’s town of Sjobo holds a referendum in 1988 that results in a local ban on allowing migrants for 13 years, a decision that later becomes a focal point in debates over the country’s refugee distribution policies. The story traces the origins of the dispute to 1987, when Sweden adopts a strategy to distribute refugees more evenly and asks Sjobo—then about 15,400 residents—to take in roughly 15 people.
According to the account, Sjobo’s referendum is described as controversial and draws attention across Europe at the time. Nearly four decades later, the reporting says some residents still argue that the ban should never have been lifted, while the broader context is that Sweden’s national approach to refugee resettlement and local responses to it continue to shape political discussion. The outlets’ framing emphasizes the long duration of the ban and its later reconsideration, highlighting the enduring local controversy over how refugee allocations are implemented.
