In a revealing investigation, it has been found that 167 high-ranking officials in Swedish municipalities and regions received double compensations after being laid off, costing taxpayers over a quarter of a billion kronor.

Among them, Marie Tollefsen Markström, a former municipal chief in Skinnskatteberg, received a year's salary of 2.1 million kronor as part of a severance deal, only to start a new taxpayer-funded job within two weeks.

This practice, which has affected 305 officials between 2015 and 2023, raises significant questions about the negotiation and financial implications of so-called golden parachute agreements.

Tollefsen Markström defended the compensation as a necessary security for the uncertainty of her job, while others, including Lena Lovén Rolén, who negotiated the agreement, question the fairness and financial burden of such deals on the community.