Swedish gangster rap, property market turbulence, and who’s Chris O’Neill?
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Becky Waterton and Richard Orange. This week we’re talking about why the Swedish state may soon find itself in court over its alleged climate inaction. Swedish court to hear young people’s climate lawsuit against the stateAfter our chat with crime reporter Diamant Salihu a few weeks ago we go deeper on Swedish gangster rap and look at how close some of its most successful practitioners are to the gang violence they depict. ‘Supply and demand, motherfxxker!’: The real violence behind Sweden’s gangster rapINTERVIEW: ‘Everybody in Sweden who buys cocaine should know the money is used to buy bullets’We’ll give you some background on Chris O’Neill, the British-American husband of Princess Madeleine as the couple prepare to move back to Sweden. The difficulties of moving to Sweden as a non-EU spouse… even if you marry a Swedish princessARCHIVE: A look at Swedish royal fiancé Chris O’NeillWe have an interview with the United States’ ambassador to Sweden, Erik Ramanathan, about his impressions of Sweden and the strength of the countries’ bilateral relationship. And, finally, we’ll see what the forecast is like for the Swedish property market, and why foreigners are busy snapping up summer homes. ‘New era’: Swedish bank warns interest rate could hit five percentForeign buyers snap up cheaper Swedish holiday homesSeven gorgeous Swedish holiday homes for less than a million kronorHow to get the best rate on your mortgage in Sweden__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 Mars 202335min
Swedish language reform controversy, and who are all the Skarsgårds?
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange. In this week’s episode we discuss how the fallout from the recent banking sector turmoil might affect savers in Sweden. How safe is your money in a Swedish bank account?What’s going on with Nato? Are Hungary and Turkey are going to let Finland and Sweden in?‘Increased chance that Finland joins NATO before Sweden’: PMIs it time to dispense with ‘de’ and ‘dem’ in written Swedish and instead embrace ‘dom’? DE/DEM: Is Sweden about to carry out its biggest language reform in 50 years?In a week when the Christian Democrats’ party secretary was fired after another senior figure in the party filed a police report against him, we look at how the scandal has played out so far and how the party has handled it. Swedish MEP comes forward as accuser in Christian Democrat ‘me-too’ caseLIST: Sweden’s biggest seven ‘me-too’ casesIn the latest instalment of our ambassador series, we have an interview with Canada’s ambassador to Sweden, Jason LaTorre.We also look at who’s who in the the Skarsgård acting dynasty before rounding off with tips for some of our own favourite Swedish films. SKARS-GUIDE: Who’s who in Sweden’s Skarsgård acting dynasty?__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 Mars 202338min
Part 2: How the Sweden Democrats are flirting with the extreme right
In this special bonus episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast, we hear more from our guest Jonathan Leman, a researcher with the Expo Foundation, which monitors and exposes far-right extremism in Sweden. Host Paul O’Mahony is also joined by panelists James Savage, Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren.In this episode we continue our chat about the far-right Sweden Democrats' interactions with the more extreme fringe of the nationalist movement. We discuss the Sweden Democrats' increasing climate scepticism and their intervention to block LGBTQ cultural events. We also talk about the party's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and whether their renewed ties to the far-right alternative media ecosystem represents a security threat. EXPLAINED: Why the Sweden Democrats are still a far-right party‘It’s incredible: We have effectively got through the Sweden Democrat migration policy’__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
14 Mars 202328min
How the Sweden Democrats are flirting with the extreme right
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by guest Jonathan Leman from the Expo Foundation, as well as panelists Becky Waterton, Emma Löfgren and James Savage. In this week’s episode we discuss why two lay judges (nämndemän) resigned after a highly controversial court ruling that hinged on an interpretation of the word snippa.How Sweden's lay judge system worksWith tax declaration season soon upon us we’ll provide some handy tips to get you through it.KEY DATES: The deadlines you need to know for Swedish tax seasonNine key things you need to know about your Swedish tax returnYour Swedish tax return: 11 ways to get money backWe’ll also talk about how food prices in Sweden just keep on rising to new record levels and how you can save money.‘They’re making us so poor’: Swedish food prices hit record highSeven ways to save money on food and drink in SwedenIn the latest instalment of our ambassador series, we have an interview with Taiwan’s representative to Sweden, Klement Gu.Finally, for our main topic today we chat to Jonathan Leman about how and why the far-right Sweden Democrats have become more radical since being welcomed in from the cold by the parties now in government. What a new report tells us about far-right extremism in Sweden‘The Sweden Democrats no longer need to worry about how they appear’__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 Mars 202339min
How important is it to learn Swedish?
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange, Emma Löfgren and James Savage. This week we have a brief chat about the Northern Lights, which were visible all over Sweden last weekend.SWEDEN IN PICTURES: Your best Northern Lights snapsWe then talk about Turkey resuming Nato talks with Sweden and whether Hungary might put a spanner in the works.Finland to join Nato without Sweden if Turkey gives go aheadHungary’s president Orbán says MPs ‘unenthusiastic’ about Sweden Nato bidWe discuss the fallout from the tragic story of the Stockholm chief of police, who was found dead in his home last week.Police chief Mats Löfving found deadWe look into why Sweden is still importing gas from Russia more than a year after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the latest of our series of interviews with ambassadors, we get the lowdown on Australian-Swedish relations from Australia’s Ambassador Bernard Philip. Etiquette expert Sofia Larsson explains how she answers readers who complain that there’s too much English spoken in Sweden, and our panelists discuss how important they think it is to learn Swedish. Sweden in Focus episode (April 9th 2022) featuring a Swedish teacher’s tips__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 Mars 202341min
Interview with Ukraine's ambassador to Sweden, Part 2
In the second part of the interview, host Paul O’Mahony asks Ukraine's ambassador to Sweden, Andrii Plakhotniuk, about how the war has changed the focus of his job as ambassador, what Sweden is doing to facilitate Ukraine’s EU accession talks, how the invasion has affected Ukraine’s Swedish-speaking village Gammalsvenskby, and how Swedish humanitarian aid can help rebuild Ukraine. DON'T MISS:The Ambassadors: Swedish-Ukrainian relations 'getting stronger every day'How has war changed life for Ukraine’s Swedish-speaking village?EXPLAINED: These are the weapons Sweden is sending to UkraineSURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 Feb 202313min
Work permits, defence volunteers, and what is Sweden doing to aid Ukraine?
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Becky Waterton and Loukas Christodoulou. This week we talk about why children get a week off school at this time of the year.Swedish word of the day: sportlovWe look at why Turkey has softened its stance on Sweden’s Nato application.‘A welcome message’: Turkey open for new Nato talks with SwedenAfter a government press conference last week, we examine what progress Sweden is making on work permit reform.NEW: Sweden to hike work permit salary threshold in two stagesEXPLAINED: How has Sweden adjusted its plans for work permit reform?EXPLAINED: Sweden’s planned changes to residence permit applicationsWith defence high on the national agenda we’ll ask Loukas to tell us about the volunteers who bolster Sweden’s armed forces.EXPLAINED: What is Sweden’s Home Guard and who can join?Finally, to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have an interview with the Ukrainian ambassador about how the past twelve months have reshaped Swedish-Ukrainian relations. EXPLAINED: What problems are Ukrainian refugees facing in Sweden?Could Sweden’s ‘unique’ Gripen fighters help Ukraine?__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 Feb 202341min
Bonus episode: How can Sweden do more to help struggling households?
In this special bonus episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, we hear more from our guest Peter Gerlach, an economist with the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, LO. Host Paul O’Mahony is also joined by panelists James Savage, Richard Orange and Emma Löfgren.In this episode we continue our chat about the state of Sweden's economy after an EU Commission reporter put the country at the bottom of the class. We discuss Sweden's upcoming round of wage negotiations, predictions that Sweden is facing a mild recession and what that will entail, how to tackle high energy prices and rising interest rates, Sweden’s low taxes on capital, whether the government should pause the mortgage payment requirement, what the government can do to stimulate the economy, and how international workers fit into the Swedish model.DON'T MISS:'Sweden's economy can't take much more'ANALYSIS: For good or ill, Sweden’s Riksbank seems set on beating inflation‘I’m holding out for some relief’: High interest rates hit foreigners in Sweden__SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 Feb 202330min
