Sweden in Focus

In the latest episode, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Emma Löfgren, Richard Orange and James Savage.

On this week's episode we explore a game-changing rare earth metal find in northern Sweden. 

We discuss Sweden's priorities for the EU presidency with Louise Bengtsson, senior researcher at the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies.

• INTERVIEW: What's on the agenda for Sweden's EU presidency?

As rail operator SJ prepares to launch a sleeper train from Stockholm to Berlin, we talk about the costs and benefits. 

• Richard's route: On-board Sweden's new sleeper service from Hamburg to Malmö

In the latest in our series of interviews with ambassadors, we interview Nur Ashikin Mohd Taib, who leaves Sweden this week after serving for four years as Malaysia's top diplomat in Stockholm.

We also discuss how an activist group's hanging of an effigy of Turkey’s President Erdogan has further complicated Turkish-Swedish relations. Also:

• Sweden's new Centre Party leader to renounce Turkish citizenship
• OPINION: Sweden's emerging debate on dual citizenship is terrifying

And we chat about a prime ministerial aide who has received a heft fine for illegally fishing endangered eels. 

Also, we briefly discuss two stories that broke right as we were recording: 

• EXPLAINED: These are the weapons that Sweden is sending to Ukraine
• Spy scandal: Two brothers jailed for passing secrets to Russia

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Becky Waterton, Emma Löfgren and James Savage.

On this week's episode we examine the King’s 43-year grudge against a law change on the line of succession.

• Swedish King still annoyed over 'unfair' succession law

We discuss why this is a good year for public holidays in Sweden.

• How to make the most of Sweden's public holidays in 2023

With a report suggesting the Swedish economy is facing its biggest shock since the 1990s, we’ll give you some tips for how to save money.

• Sweden's economy facing 'most severe shock since early 1990s'
• Five ways to save money in Sweden

We’ll listen to an interview with Tanmaya Lal, the Indian ambassador to Sweden. 

We have a roundup of what migration law changes are in the offing. 

• What's the current status of Sweden's planned migration laws?

We chat about why Sweden is responsible for half of all the expulsion orders served to UK citizens in the EU post-Brexit.

• More than 1,000 Brits ordered to leave Sweden since Brexit

And we round things off with a short quiz about Gothenburg.

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In the final episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast for 2022, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage.

What does 2023 hold in store for Sweden? We chat about some of the stories expected to dominate the news agenda next year. Check out our preview article to find out more: 

• Everything that changes in Sweden in 2023 

A special thank you to The Local's members! Your support is what makes the podcast possible. 

Happy New Year to all our listeners! 

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Here are some of the stories we discuss in this week's episode:

• John Oliver discover's Malmö's sexy bins

• Sweden blocks extradition of Turkish journalist

• Government orders crackdown on work and residence permit abuses

• Crown Princess’s favourite chimp dies after zoo escape

• Jan: storms
• Feb: Bishop defrocked
• March: Melodifestivalen
• April: Nyamko Sabuni resigns
• May: Boris Johnson to Harpsund
• June: Riksbank hikes rates
• July: Pole vault world record
• Aug: Right-wing extremist candidates
• Sep: Swedish election
• Oct: Nobel prizes
• Nov: Spontaneous dance ban
• Dec: Hottest gifts

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage, as well as guest Jonas Engman, ethnologist and curator at Nordiska Museet and an expert on Swedish traditions.

This week our columnist David Crouch wrote an excellent article about Sweden's property market slump. We discuss how property woes and rising prices are presenting problems for Sweden's inhabitants this winter.

• Hold on tight: Sweden's housing bubble has burst
• Sweden had its highest inflation in over 30 years in November
• Seven ways to save money on food and drink in Sweden

We also talk about a new report from Sweden's parliamentary ombudsman criticising long waiting times at the migration agency. But will it make any difference?

• Swedish Migration Agency rebuked for ‘unacceptable’ processing times
• REVEALED: The truth about waiting times at Sweden’s Migration Agency

Twice the Sweden Democrats were in the news this week over moves to block cultural events: a reading event for children hosted by two drag queens, and a traditional Lucia procession fronted by a person who identifies as non-binary. Why are the Sweden Democrats preoccupied with issues surrounding gender identity, and should we be worried when they intervene like this?

• Is the ‘arm’s length’ principle for the arts in Sweden at risk of amputation?

We have an interview with Étienne de Gonneville, France's ambassador to Sweden, about the makeup of the French community in Sweden, how a bilateral agreement is strengthening ties between the two countries, and his own reflections on life in Sweden.  

For our main topic this week we enlist the help of Jonas Engman to answer questions on everything from why Swedes watch Donald Duck every Christmas to the story behind the ubiquitous straw goats. Don't miss it: his answers are truly fascinating.

• All our latest articles on Christmas in Sweden

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage, as well as guest Anna Troberg, chairman of the DIK union for culture sector workers and an opponent of the government's plans for a cultural canon. We also have an interview with Pakistan's ambassador to Sweden, Zahoor Ahmed, to find out about the Pakistani community in Sweden and some cultural differences between the countries.  

For our main topic this week we look at Sweden's plans to introduce a state-mandated cultural canon and what it will mean for foreigners. Here are a couple of recent articles on the canon plan if you'd like to learn more. 

• KEY POINTS: What do we know about the plans for a future Swedish cultural canon?
• What books and art can we expect to be in Sweden’s future cultural canon?

We also chat about the Nobel banquet and the upcoming St. Lucia celebrations.

• The dinner that proves Sweden is anything but lagom
• Parenting in Sweden: How to prepare for your child’s Lucia celebration
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And we round up some of the week's main news stories: 

• ‘Work permit holders will not lose permanent residency’: Swedish Migration Minister
• Swedish terror attacker sentenced to psychiatric care
• Turkey calls Sweden’s extradition of PKK militant ‘a start’

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage. We also have interviews with the Irish Ambassador to Sweden, Austin Gormley, and psychologist Mona Lindqvist from the Stockholm region's Transcultural Center.  

For our main topic this week we look at how Swedes and foreigners can overcome their cultural differences to make relationships work. We received some fascinating responses when we asked about this in a survey: 

• What are the barriers to a successful relationship with a Swede?

Other stories we talk about:

• Five key julbord points: A beginner’s guide to the Swedish Christmas meal
• Sweden's best Christmas markets for 2022
• Swedish parliament votes through work permit and ID number laws
• The ultimate guide to getting a work permit in Sweden
• What is a Swedish coordination number?
• Turkey calls for 'concrete steps' before backing Sweden's Nato bid
• Who will get Sweden's electricity subsidy and when will it be paid out?
• Swedish youths launch landmark climate lawsuit against government
• Baby, it's mörv outside: Sweden's 13th month is here
• Will Gävle's Christmas goat survive this year? 
• How this Swedish-band helped me learn the language
• When do Swedes throw out their Christmas trees?

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In the latest episode of Sweden in Focus we chat about the heavy snow that has fallen this week and how Sweden has coped. 

• READER PICS: Snow turns Sweden into a winter wonderland
• Six things they don’t tell you about the snow in Sweden
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 We look at how Advent is celebrated in Sweden.

• How a German Christmas tradition became distinctively Swedish

We discuss the second spectacular spy story in the space of two weeks. 

• Russian couple arrested as spies after helicopter raid in Stockholm

We talk about the resurgence of tensions between the Sweden Democrats and the Liberals. 

We examine what we know about Sweden’s plans to get rid of permanent residency permits, and we hear from Ann-Cathrine Jungar, assistant professor at Södertörn University and an expert on radical right parties in the Nordics, on why the government wants to abolish them. 

• EXPLAINED: What do we know about Sweden’s plans to withdraw permanent residency?

And finally we’ll end with a short quiz to gauge our panelists’ Swedishness this week.

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage, as well as guest Sayaka Osanami Törngren, Associate Professor in International Migration and Ethnic Relations at Malmö University.

This week we start with a chat about the World Cup in Qatar which kicks off this weekend.

• How can I watch the 2022 World Cup on Swedish TV?

We discuss a major spy scandal involving two brothers.

• KEY POINTS: What do we know so far about Sweden’s new spy scandal?

We look at an incredibly detailed newspaper article in Svenska Dagbladet that shines a light on what was happening behind the scenes when Ulf Kristersson was trying to put together his government.

We examine why Sweden doesn’t gather data on race and ethnicity like many other countries and discuss whether it should change its approach. This is the article by David Crouch that we mention: 

• ‘No such thing as race’: why Sweden’s colour-blind approach is failing

Finally, was last week’s quiz success a flash in the pan? We put our panelists through their paces again with three more questions about Swedish culture and society.

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage. The episode also features an interview with Paul Levin, Director of Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies. 

Sweden's speech culture. 

• When and how should you give a speech or toast in Sweden?

The new government’s first budget and how people in Sweden have reacted to it.

• EXPLAINED: How Sweden’s 2023 budget could benefit your finances
• Sweden’s government slammed for broken pledges in ‘restrictive’ budget
• KEY POINTS: Which election promises are missing from Sweden’s budget?
• LIST: The biggest spending proposals in Sweden’s new budget
• Swedish budget document states changes mean missing EU 2030 climate goals

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s trip to Turkey.

• INTERVIEW: 'Perhaps Erdogan just wants to drag out the decision on Sweden's Nato entry'
• Swedish PM hails ‘very productive’ Nato meeting with Turkish president

Gotland terror trial.

• Knife terror attack was to ‘hit back at the Swedish people’
• Swedish terror trial: ‘I still check what people have in their hands’

We end with a quiz to find out if our panelists have what it takes to pass a mock citizenship test. Here's a similar test we ran on the site recently.

• QUIZ: Can you pass The Local’s mock-up Swedish citizenship test?

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