Sweden in Focus

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In this week's episode: Snow chaos on Sweden's roads, April Fools' traditions, government divided on new gender law, and will there be a Swedish pope?

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's James Savage and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• 'Are they on Easter holiday?': Swedish government under fire after snow chaos
• Snow chaos on Swedish E4 road 'worst since 1995'

• April Fools' is back: here are nine of this year's best jokes in Sweden

• Swedish bishop named as possible next pope

• EXPLAINED: How Sweden’s legal gender bill has split the government 

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

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In this week's episode: Easter opening hours, news quiz, World Happiness Report. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• Witches and herring: Seven traditions that reveal it's Easter in Sweden
• Seven must-have dishes for a very Swedish Easter celebration

• How happy are people in Sweden compared to the rest of the world?

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this week's episode: Waffle Day, foiled plot to attack Sweden's parliament, Busch and Åkesson trade insults. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local’s Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

Waffle Day 

• How March 25th became Sweden’s national Waffle Day, thanks to mispronunciation
• Recipe: How to make traditional Swedish waffles on Waffle Day

Terror plot

• Two men held in Germany over Swedish parliament terror plot

Politics

• ARCHIVE: Sweden Democrats admit Nazi roots in new ‘white book’

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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This week: New migration stats and a uniquely Swedish kids' magazine. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local's Becky Waterton and Richard Orange, and we also chat to the editor of KP, Lukas Björkman, about the children's magazine's enduringly popularity in a digital age and how to stay relevant by listening to children and ignoring parents. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• Foreigners in Sweden: How the migration paradigm shift affects our lives
• What's the current status of Sweden's planned migration laws?

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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How does someone who grew up in a Stockholm suburb become the leader of a traditionally agrarian party? Why is the party opposed to new work permit rules? And what's it like being Sweden's first culturally Muslim party leader? This and more in our interview with Centre Party leader Muharrem Demirok.

In this bonus episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local’s publisher James Savage for a wide-ranging interview with the leader of the Centre Party, Muharrem Demirok. 

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Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

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• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this week's episode: Centre Party leader Muharrem Demirok on how Nato membership will change Sweden. Also, who'll win Melodifestivalen?

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and Richard Orange, while James Savage and Paul interview the Centre Party leader Muharrem Demirok. 

Here are links to some of the topics in the episode:

• Why Melodifestivalen is Sweden's biggest TV show

• What does Nato membership mean for Sweden?

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this week's episode: Reactions from Russia as Sweden creeps closer to Nato, Sweden’s support for Ukraine, the lowdown on Vasaloppet. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage. 

Here are links to some of the stories and topics we discuss:

• What does Nato membership mean for Sweden?
• Russia threatens 'countermeasures' over Sweden's Nato membership
• Podcast: Is Sweden prepared for cyber attacks?

• Sweden to send its largest-yet military aid package to Ukraine

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this week's episode: how Sweden will change when it’s in Nato, why the country has an annual book sale, what you need to know about pensions in Sweden.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the stories and topics we discuss:

• What happens next for Sweden's Nato application?

• Language and literature: Essential articles for life in Sweden

• Ten key questions to help you plan your Swedish pension now

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ access

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this bonus episode we speak to Gemma Swift, a marketing professional from the UK who explains how she managed to make great friends in Sweden despite warnings from fellow foreigners that her efforts might end in disappointment. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is briefly joined by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange, before we listen to the interview with Gemma Swift.

Gemma wrote an article last year that was well received by readers of The Local so we thought we'd get her to expand on some of her points. Here's the article: 

• How to make friends in Sweden – seven things I wish someone had told me

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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This week: a Swedish word for February illnesses, hitting the ski slopes, devastating Liseberg blaze, changing of the guard in the Green Party, why a Social Democrat MP with Palestinian heritage became an independent, Swedish prisons in crisis mode, and what we know so far about new salary requirements for work permit holders. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the stories and topics we discuss:

• Swedish word of the day: vabruari

• Everything you need to know about skiing on 'sportlov' in Sweden

• Huge fire destroys new attraction at Gothenburg's Liseberg amusement park

Sadly, this news came through the day after we recorded the podcast:

• Dead body found after fire at Gothenburg's Liseberg amusement park

• Joint leader of Sweden's Green Party announces resignation
• OPINION: El-Haj faced the same dilemma as all immigrant politicians in Sweden

• Swedish prison service declares 'crisis' amid cell shortage

• IN BRIEF: Sweden's plans to raise work permit salary threshold to 34,200 kronor

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.