Cheaper home loans, immigration costs, and plans for a compulsory 'Sweden course'

This week: banks cut rates, the state of Sweden’s democracy, new Pisa rankings, how child refugees have integrated, the ex-Syrian banker behind a successful hummus restaurant, government counts cost of migration, compulsory courses for newcomers, Lucia, Nobel banquet.

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

Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:

Economy

• Which Swedish banks now offer the cheapest mortgage rates?

Politics

• Is Sweden sliding towards autocracy one year on from the election?
• LISTEN: Does Sweden's new coalition deal threaten basic rights?

Education

• Swedish students' maths and reading scores plunge in Pisa world rankings

Immigration

• IN DATA: Why have so many of Sweden's Afghan child refugees got jobs?
• Syrian banker applied for 'over 2,000' jobs in Sweden before creating his own
• Sweden's government calls for investigation into cost of immigration
• What do we know about plans to make a compulsory 'Sweden course' for immigrants?

Saint Lucia

• What you need to know about celebrating Lucia in Sweden

Nobel banquet

• The dinner that proves Sweden is anything but lagom

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