- Mullvad VPN co-founder Daniel Berntsson donated SEK 5 million to the Örebro Party
- Mullvad confirms that the donation “is not part of Mullvad’s values or mission”
- Örebro party leader Markus Allard is known for his controversial views
Daniel Berntsson, co-founder and co-owner of Mullvad VPN, has donated 5 million Swedish krona (about $514,000) of his personal funds to the controversial populist party Örebro.
As first reported by local media outlet Flamman, the 2025 donation accounted for 72% of the party’s total revenue last year.
“This is a donation from me personally,” Berntsson told reporters, stating that he supports the party’s anti-corruption stance. In In a social media post, Mullvad confirmed that this was a “private donation,” which is “not part of Mullvad’s values or mission.”
The disclosure has sparked a backlash online, with some users threatening to switch VPN providers. The Örebro Party and its leader, Markus Allard, are known for their controversial populist stances, particularly regarding “remigration” policies.
Mullvad’s response
Speaking to TechRadar, Mullvad co-CEO Fredrik Strömberg confirmed that neither Mullvad VPN AB, its parent company Amagicom AB nor its sister company Tillitis AB played any role in supporting the political party.
“I for one do not like that he made this donation and I know that many of my colleagues share this opinion. As co-CEO of Mullvad, we will continue to protect the universal right to privacy,” said Strömberg.
The firm also addressed the controversy publicly. in a statement Posted on X, the team reiterated that Mullvad operates as a “political enterprise” dedicated to fighting for freedom of expression, freedom of information and the universal right to privacy.
Mullvad is a political company. We fight for freedom of expression, freedom of information and the right to privacy. These are values firmly held by the founders of Mullvad. Mullvad protects people’s right to express things we disagree with. We protect the right of everyone…June 27, 2026
“We also live these values by being tolerant in our daily work,” the post continues. “It doesn’t matter what their other opinions are and it doesn’t matter if the founders or anyone else in Mullvad doesn’t like them. The founders themselves fundamentally disagree on several important issues.”
Mullvad said he would “gladly refund” any customers who decided to cancel their subscriptions or switch to another provider due to philosophical disagreements.
In fact, the news has generated criticism.
One Reddit user said they “deeply regret recommending Mullvad to people instead of Proton,” adding that they will personally be switching to Windscribe.
When asked about users thinking about canceling their Mullvad subscription, Strömberg told TechRadar that people should feel safe using Mullvad regardless of their political affiliation.
Why is donation so controversial?
The Örebro Party, which defines itself outside the traditional left-right spectrum, began as a local party in Örebro before launching its parliamentary election campaign this year.
Berntsson’s donation appears to have been vital in raising the party’s campaign capabilities ahead of the next election.
While tech founders are completely free to have personal political affiliations, this incident raises broader questions about the growing influence of tech wealth on political campaigns. It also forces a conversation about whether privacy-focused companies should engage with political groups, regardless of where they fall on the ideological spectrum.
Ultimately, the number of users who choose to cancel their Mullvad subscriptions in protest will serve as a strong indicator of how deeply the privacy-conscious community values neutrality.
