Swedish student leader calls for Palantir’s removal from government contracts, citing data control concerns

A Swedish student leader and parliamentary candidate has urged the immediate removal of Palantir from government contracts, alleging insufficient oversight of the tech company’s data handling practices. According to Breakit, Rasmus Elfström, chair of Centerstudenter and a Centerpartiet candidate, stated that authorities have been "naive" in their dealings with the company, questioning whether Palantir truly refrains from accessing customer data it claims to manage independently. Elfström’s remarks follow recent disclosures that Palantir now supplies services to Sweden’s defense sector and several other government agencies, though the exact scope of these contracts remains undisclosed due to confidentiality rules.

Centerpartiet officially supports phasing out Palantir’s contracts, aligning with Miljöpartiet, while Vänsterpartiet advocates case-by-case reviews. Sverigedemokraterna, Liberalerna, and Kristdemokraterna prefer maintaining existing agreements, whereas Moderaterna and Socialdemokraterna express confidence in the authorities’ procurement decisions. The political divide underscores broader debates over transparency in public-private partnerships involving AI-driven analytics.

Palantir’s financial performance remains robust, with the company reporting a 93% revenue increase in its latest quarter and billions in profits. In Sweden, Palantir’s net revenue rose to 151.1 million Swedish kronor in 2025, up from 146.7 million the prior year, all derived from external sales. The company, founded by Peter Thiel, has faced repeated controversies and comparisons to fictional antagonists, though its AI and data analytics services continue to attract government clients globally.