Sweden in Focus

This week: Halloween in Sweden, Swedish media coverage of the Tidö government’s migration crackdown, our favourite Swedish children’s books, efforts to form Sweden’s next government, and a language quiz.The last four years have seen sweeping change for immigrants in Sweden.For many of The Local's readers, the lack of transitional rules in the new citizenship law caused untold stress. The same goes for multiple changes to the salary threshold required for a work permit.Teen deportations hit the headlines in Sweden last year. But why did it take so long? And how come Swedish media missed so much of what was impacting the lives of people who chose to make Sweden their home?Host Richard Orange is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Emma Löfgren. Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners.Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:HalloweenOPINION: Why I wish Sweden would just stop with HalloweenImmigrationHow did Swedish media cover the 'migration paradigm shift'?PoliticsRegion Stockholm reaches centrist governing agreement, freezing out the leftWhat does Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist really want?What would it take for Sweden's Centre Party to back Ulf Kristersson as PM? Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: First month post-election ends with no government, breakthrough on ending teen deportations, a plan to help citizenship applicants hit retroactively by the new law, and a reminder of some of the best things about living in Sweden.More than a month has passed since Sweden’s election, and we still don’t have a government. As we were recording this week's episode, the Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson lost a vote in parliament on installing her as prime minister. So what happens now?Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Emma Löfgren. Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners.Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:PoliticsDoes losing parliament vote mean Andersson can't be Sweden's next PM?Moderates hit five-year high in Swedish post-election poll as Liberals slipImmigrationHow Sweden's 'new majority' can already move on deportations and citizenshipAll Swedish parties back emergency freeze on teen deportationsSwedish MP seeks to apply old rules to all pre-June 6th citizenship applicantsLiving in SwedenRemembering what I love about this countryThumbnail photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: Tortuous efforts to form a government, plans to stop teen deportations, how new rules on family reunification could make life harder for university researchers, and what do The Local’s readers miss most when living in Sweden?The four parties that claimed victory in the election are still a long way from forming a government, but there has been movement this week as they agreed to meet in person.The parties will meet on Friday at a luxury hotel on the island of Lidingö, near Stockholm. But the plan is not to negotiate; instead they will be given a series of briefings on the problems facing Sweden.The initiative came from the Centre Party, which has taken a lot of the blame for the lack of progress due to its insistence that the Left Party be denied ministerial posts in any coalition. But will it break the deadlock?Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Richard Orange. Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:PoliticsFour-party meeting set to test Sweden's government potentialMagdalena Andersson once again given job of building new Swedish governmentImmigrationWhat's in Sweden's new law on family reunification?Q&A: How will Sweden's new family immigration law affect researchers?Q&A: Who is affected by Sweden's new law on family immigration?Teen deportations Sweden's centre-left parties agree on halting teen deportationsSweden's migration minister pledges long-term solution to teen deportationsLiving in Sweden'Flavourful food and friendliness': What foreigners in Sweden miss from 'home' Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Magdalena Andersson was acclaimed as the winner of Sweden’s election. Four parties – adding up to a majority – said they wanted her to be prime minister, and she was charged by the speaker with forming a government. Yet on Monday she threw in the towel.The immediate pretext was the decision by the Left Party to support the re-election of speaker Andreas Norlén, a Moderate, over the Social Democrats’ own candidate.But it followed two weeks in which Andersson had failed to get the Centre Party, Left Party and Greens to so much as take a cup of coffee with each other.Now it’s up to the speaker to find someone else willing to have a go.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners.Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:PoliticsSocial Democrat Magdalena Andersson abandons attempt to form a governmentStrategy or spite? Why is Magda giving up on forming Sweden's next government?EXPLAINED: What needs to happen for Sweden to get a new prime minister?From the obvious to the unthinkable: Nine options for Sweden's governmentBrexit'But what are the rules?': My interview with the Swedish Migration Agency's legal chiefThumbnail photo: Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar and Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist take part in a party leader discussion hosted by RFSL during Stockholm Pride. Photo: Stefan Jerrevång/TT Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's podcast: Electoral fraud allegations, complex coalition building, Candy Crush maker faces strike action, and how do Swedes say 'Digestive biscuit'?Negotiations between the centre-left parties are ongoing after they won a wafer thin majority in last week’s election.But now a voter fraud scandal involving the Left Party threatens to derail the whole process.Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the election of a Left Party Member of Parliament in the Dalarna region. What do know about the allegations so far? And could the scandal lead to a revote?Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners.Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:Electoral fraud scandalSwedish Left Party leader finally speaks on election fraud allegationsSwedish Election Authority criticises ballot paper systemNewly elected MP steps aside amid Swedish electoral fraud probePoliticsEXPLAINED: What needs to happen for Sweden to get a new prime minister?Behind closed doors, Sweden's Left and Centre parties are still miles apartWorking in SwedenUPDATE: Strike threat lifted as Candy Crush maker signs collective agreementMore unions join pending strike at Swedish Candy Crush makerQ&A: Why Swedish unions are launching a strike at the games maker KingZara Larsson clip credit: Heart RadioThumbnail photo: Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar. Magnus Hjalmarson Neideman/SVD/TT Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: Final election results, far right blames immigrants for loss, and what the election outcome means for foreigners in Sweden.  200,000 foreigners who have become Swedish citizens are to blame for Sweden’s tiny swing to the left – and in particular for the losses suffered by the Sweden Democrats. That’s the claim being made by the party as it grapples with a surprise electoral reverse in Sunday’s election.But is it accurate to say that immigrants won this election for the Left?Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Richard Orange. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:2026 Swedish election Kristersson resigns as PM after Sweden's centre-left opposition wins electionJimmie Åkesson reportedly plans break if Sweden Democrats enter oppositionOPINION: The misunderstood Centre Party could learn from Ebba Busch'It's tighter than I thought': How do foreigners in Sweden feel about the election?What does Sweden's unexpectedly close election result mean for foreigners?Swedish government scenarios: What happens now?Thumbnail on Spotify: Social Democrat party leader Magdalena Andersson and party secretary Tobias Baudin celebrate with supporter on election night. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Sweden in Focus Extra our panelists try to make sense of a dizzying election night.Sweden’s election threw up some major surprises on Sunday night.The Liberals cleared the parliamentary threshold by a respectable margin having languished way beneath the four percent limit ever since the last election.The Social Democrats are seemingly on course for their worst election ever – but leader Magdalena Andersson could still be headed for a second stint as Sweden’s prime minister.The incumbent, Ulf Kristersson, meanwhile can breathe a sigh of relief as his Moderate Party regained its position as Sweden’s second biggest party.Their rise came at the expense of the Sweden Democrats, whose vote share dropped for the first time ever in a national election.But what does it all mean for the business of forming a new government?Host James Savage is joined this week by podcast regulars Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange.READ ALSO:What does Sweden's unexpectedly close election result mean for foreigners? Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.