För vem är friheten större? - Hur Vellinges politiker tänker i flyktingfrågan
LommaVellingeRefugeeImmigrantRepresentativeMandateMunicipalityPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapLaw and Political Science
Vellinge is one of few municipalities in Sweden that refuses to accept refugees. The subject of this thesis is to find out how the local politicians in Vellinge make their considerations when they decide not to welcome refugees. The analysis uses the representation theory as a starting point. The two ideals of the representative role, either as a bound mandate or as a free independent role, is the base of the analysis. Vellinge is in the analysis compared to Lomma, a very similar municipality in southern Sweden that for a long time alsohas refused to accept refugees, however suddenly in 2007 decided to change their mind. The analysis shows that the main reason for Vellinge's decision most likely is the local politicians? view of themselves as bound by their mandate. They follow the will of the constituents without any deeper reflections. One way to change the mind of the politicians in Vellinge could be to stimulate an increased deliberation around the refugee issue, at the local as well as the national level. Another way could be to further clarify where the borders of responsibility are drawn between state and municipality in the refugee matter.