The Left Party and Centre Party divide, rent control and why snaps?

We start this week with news that broke just before we started recording the episode. The victims of two separate murders in the greater Stockholm region on Wednesday were revealed to be, in the first killing in Husby, an uncle of organised crime chief Rawa Majid and, in Södertälje, Salwan Momika, who was behind a quran-burning spree in 2023. Coming at the end of a record month for explosive attacks, how serious is the current crime wave and what's being done to stop it?We also look at why Sweden’s national security adviser finally resigned and what it means for the government, why a Swedish police tactical unit boarded a ship in the Baltic. And, taking a breaking from the news, we learn how to speak Swedish like a Scanian.Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:CrimeQuran-burner Salwan Momika shot dead in StockholmSocial Democrats: Turn all of southern Stockholm into one big stop-and-search zoneSwedish police warn parents to keep eyes on kids after wave of violencePoliticsPolitics in Sweden: Why carelessness isn't the only issue with the PM's 'bästis'Military'I think it's the Russians': Swedish defence expert on cable sabotageLanguage17 dialect words you'll need to know to survive in southern Sweden Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Feb 21min

This week we’re going to test our panelists’ Swedish language knowledge by throwing a few questions at them from the vocabulary section of Högskoleprovet, the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test that students can take as an entrance exam for Swedish universities.The questions in this episode are taken from a test that university applicants took in autumn 2015. Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by Becky Waterton and James Savage.READ ALSO:SWEDISH TEST: Can you pass the vocab part of Sweden's version of the SAT? What you need to know about applying to university in Sweden The seven stages of learning Swedish every foreigner goes through Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up for Membership+ now 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.Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Jan 18min

This week we talk about Donald Trump's return to the White House and how it’s going to impact Sweden, especially in the areas of trade and security. And could the Tesla strike become a flashpoint with Elon Musk now a part of the US administration? One Swede who was in the United States recently is the deputy prime minster Ebba Busch. We discuss her recent visit to Las Vegas where she gave a rousing speech about Swedish innovation that sparked animated debate back home.We’ll also examine why the Prime Minister is coming under increasing pressure to sack his national security adviser, who also happens to be his close childhood friend. For Membership+ subscribers we dig into comments we’ve received from readers about proposals to extend the waiting time for citizenship and we bring you the latest on the government’s plans to increase the salary requirement for work permit holders after the employment minister said he’d be open to backtracking.Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and James Savage. Sweden & the United StatesWhat does Donald Trump's return to the White House mean for Sweden?InnovationFrom 2023: Sweden ranked second most innovative country in the worldPoliticsSweden's national security adviser's slip-ups examined by prosecutorsGet Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now 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.Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Jan 30min

Sweden's government promised a paradigm shift on immigration and this was a week in which they moved ahead with some cornerstone policies. As we spoke about in last week's podcast, enhanced security checks are expected to slow down decisions on citizenship by a migration authority already struggling to manage a backlog of more than 80,000 applications. The head of a government inquiry this week recommended a grace period for existing applicants as Sweden moves to extend residency requirements from five to eight years for citizenship. In this week's episode politicians remind us that they're not obliged to follow the inquiry's recommendations. For Membership+ subscribers we discuss why dual citizenship is on the agenda this week after a parliamentary committee recommended changing the constitution to enable the revocation of Swedish citizenship for serious crimes including espionage, terrorism and treason. But a disagreement between the government and the Social Democrats on which crimes should be covered suggests this is an issue we'll be hearing much more about in the run-up to the 2026 election. Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Emma Löfgren and James Savage. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:New Swedish citizenship rulesSwedish government inquiry proposes increasing citizenship wait to eight yearsKEY POINTS: Sweden's plans for tougher citizenship rulesReaders' questions answered on Sweden's citizenship reformsHow do foreigners feel about extending Sweden's citizenship wait to eight years?Swedish migration minister won't rule out making new citizenship rules retroactiveGet Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now 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. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Jan 35min

Migration minister on citizenship security checks, January's 'ox weeks', citizenship and immigration rule changes, Northvolt's battle for survival. For membership+ subscribers: why Sweden has a wolf hunt, and what readers say about receiving wrong information from the Migration Agency. Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:Swedish citizenshipLabour migrants 'should not be worried at all' about citizenship checks, says ministerLanguage & TraditionTjugonde Knut: Why Swedish Christmas lasts until January 13thSwedish word of the day: oxveckornaSweden in 2025Seven things to look forward to in Sweden in 2025NorthvoltNorthvolt shareholders give company green light to continue operationsEnvironmentSweden to launch wolf cull amid conservation concernsMigration AgencyHow often does Sweden's Migration Agency give out false information?How does the Swedish Migration Agency check that its information is accurate?Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSign up now 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.Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Jan 14min

This week we’re going to turn our attention to the year ahead with some soothsaying on what to expect in politics and the economy in 2025 and we’ll also hear some of The Local’s readers' predictions for the year ahead. Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and James Savage. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:ImmigrationHow new Swedish migration rules could affect foreign residents in 2025PoliticsPolitics in Sweden: Energy minister shrugs off heavy criticism of nuclear financing plansWhat's in the Social Democrats' plan to eradicate Sweden's 'vulnerable areas'?EconomyWhat's the outlook for the Swedish labour market in 2025? Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Jan 21min

Special offer for membersGet Membership+ free for two months__In this week's episode of Sweden in Focus we look back at the Swedish year in news. As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the stories that shaped Sweden over the past year. Join us for an end-of-year quiz where we dive into the headlines and events that shaped the news agenda. What do you remember about the extreme weather events that kickstarted 2024? Do you recall who won Olympic gold medals for Sweden? And can you believe that it was only this year that Sweden finally joined Nato? Host Paul O’Mahony in Stockholm is joined this week from Malmö by The Local's Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren.Good luck! And here you can read more about each of the questions: January February March April May June July August September October November December Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Des 202418min

Special offer for membersGet Membership+ free for two months__In this week's episode: the best things about Christmas in Sweden, interview with the Greens' migration spokesperson on citizenship slowdown plans. Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and James Savage. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:ChristmasFACT CHECK: Did a Swedish company really tell staff not to say Merry Christmas?What you need to know about travelling in Sweden for Christmas 2024Sweden's beloved TV series that changes every yearCitizenshipSweden Democrat leader: 'People who are born here should be able to lose their citizenship'Lawyers and migration experts slam Swedish government's citizenship slowdown bidWhat's the current status of Sweden's planned migration laws?Work permitsHow new Swedish migration rules could affect foreign residents in 2025'A hodgepodge of bad measures': Swedish employers' group slams work permit changes Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Des 202429min