Sweden in Focus

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+ This week we spend most of the episode looking at Wednesday’s controversial vote in parliament to pass stricter citizenship laws.We also talk about King Carl Gustaf’s 80th birthday celebrations, Sweden’s bonfire night and May Day celebrations.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:Swedish citizenship voteAs it happened: Swedish MPs vote through citizenship reforms without transitional rulesSweden's parliament rejects transitional rules for citizenship billSweden Democrats accused of cheating to block transitional rules for citizenshipSwedish opposition demand revote on transitional citizenship rules'I feel scammed': Foreigners in Sweden react to controversial citizenship voteSwedish traditionsWalpurgis Night: Why are Swedes dancing around bonfires?Where are the best places to celebrate Valborg in Sweden in 2026?Why is May 1st a public holiday in Sweden?

This week we spend most of the episode looking at Wednesday’s controversial vote in parliament to pass stricter citizenship laws.We also talk about King Carl Gustaf’s 80th birthday celebrations, Sweden’s bonfire night and May Day celebrations.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:Swedish citizenship voteAs it happened: Swedish MPs vote through citizenship reforms without transitional rulesSweden's parliament rejects transitional rules for citizenship billSweden Democrats accused of cheating to block transitional rules for citizenshipSwedish opposition demand revote on transitional citizenship rules'I feel scammed': Foreigners in Sweden react to controversial citizenship voteSwedish traditionsWalpurgis Night: Why are Swedes dancing around bonfires?Where are the best places to celebrate Valborg in Sweden in 2026?Why is May 1st a public holiday in Sweden?

Sweden is heading to an election in less than five months and the left of centre parties are leading consistently in the polls. But the question everyone's asking i:, could this disparate group of parties form a government? Will the Centre Party or the Left Party drop some of their red lines to make this happen? And what could the alternatives be? Richard Orange caught up with Nicholas Aylott, Associate Professor of Political Science at Södertörn University in the south of Stockholm, to ask him what might happen. 

Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.Sign up to 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+ __Sweden is heading to an election in less than five months and the left of centre parties are leading consistently in the polls.But the question everyone's asking i:, could this disparate group of parties form a government?Will the Centre Party or the Left Party drop some of their red lines to make this happen? And what could the alternatives be? Richard Orange caught up with Nicholas Aylott, Associate Professor of Political Science at Södertörn University in the south of Stockholm, to ask him what might happen. READ ALSO:Will there still be a left-wing and right-wing bloc come September?

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+ __This week we look at a new survey in which skilled workers say what they like most and least about Sweden.We ask which parts of some of Sweden’s big cities are best for foreigners.And we look at whether the next government could unite parties of the left and right.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we look at whether your flights home could be disrupted this summer as fuel costs soar.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:Working in SwedenWork-life balance and family chief draw for high-skilled workers in SwedenReader insights'Safe, clean and peaceful': The Malmö districts foreigners favour the most'An international hub': These are the best districts for foreigners in Gothenburg'Open-minded and cosmopolitan': The Stockholm districts foreigners like the mostPoliticsHow would you like The Local to cover the Swedish election?TravelFlight cancelled or delayed? Here are your rights in Sweden

This week we look at a new survey in which skilled workers say what they like most and least about Sweden.We ask which parts of some of Sweden’s big cities are best for foreigners.And we look at whether the next government could unite parties of the left and right.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we look at whether your flights home could be disrupted this summer as fuel costs soar.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:Working in SwedenWork-life balance and family chief draw for high-skilled workers in SwedenReader insights'Safe, clean and peaceful': The Malmö districts foreigners favour the most'An international hub': These are the best districts for foreigners in Gothenburg'Open-minded and cosmopolitan': The Stockholm districts foreigners like the mostPoliticsHow would you like The Local to cover the Swedish election?TravelFlight cancelled or delayed? Here are your rights in Sweden

Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcastsSweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.Sign up to 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+ __Many people might think that someone working on a PhD funded by the Swedish state at a Swedish university would get an easy ride from migration authorities.That hasn’t been the case for Fahima Ayub Khan, a linguistics and cognitive science researcher studying for a PhD at the University of Gothenburg.She was denied a permit renewal and issued a deportation order just as she entered the final stretch of her doctoral studies.In this week’s episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, she tells The Local's Mandy Pipher about how her battle with Swedish bureaucracy has affected her life.READ ALSO:'We are not bonded labourers': University researcher fights Swedish deportation order

Many people might think that someone working on a PhD funded by the Swedish state at a Swedish university would get an easy ride from migration authorities.That hasn’t been the case for Fahima Ayub Khan, a linguistics and cognitive science researcher studying for a PhD at the University of Gothenburg.She was denied a permit renewal and issued a deportation order just as she entered the final stretch of her doctoral studies.In this week’s episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, she tells The Local's Mandy Pipher about how her battle with Swedish bureaucracy has affected her life.READ ALSO:'We are not bonded labourers': University researcher fights Swedish deportation order

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+  __This week we ask how new curbs on permanent residency will hit immigrants.As the Wallenberg family rescues a groundbreaking green steel project in northern Sweden, we examine whether the Swedish green transition has reached a fork in the road.We also have a look at what goodies the government is showering over the electorate in the last budget before the election.And in exclusive material for Membership+ subscribers we discuss Swedes’ favourite word – and we ask if our panelists can come up with a better one.Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Emma Löfgren. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:ImmigrationEXPLAINED: Who is affected by Sweden's law phasing out permanent residencyPoliticsKEY POINTS: Sweden's spring budget bill in less than a minuteBusinessSwedish steel startup Stegra to receive 1.4 billion euro investmentSwedish languageIs lagom really the best word in the Swedish language?