Latest news with #SwedeninFocus
Local Sweden
3 days ago
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Can Sweden's migration minister survive scandal of son's extremist links?
This week: Minister under pressure over son's white supremacist links, and how bad is the crisis in Sweden's games industry? For Membership+ subscribers: latest on plans to exempt some professions from work permit salary requirements, and readers' Swedish summer tips. Advertisement In this week's episode we talk about revelations that the son of Johan Forssell, Sweden's migration minister, has been active in far-right extremist groups and how the scandal is affecting the government. We also discuss what's behind a recent spate of redundancies in Sweden's games sector, an industry that employs a disproportionately high number of foreign workers. For Membership+ subscribers, we look at how the Migration Agency is handling a request by the government to present a list of professions that could be exempted from work permit salary requirements. And finally, we dig into a list of recommendations from readers of The Local on how best to enjoy the summer holiday season in Sweden. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange. Advertisement Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Politics Working in Sweden Work permits Swedish citizenship You can listen to the free episode here: Or follow Sweden in Focus wherever you listen to podcasts. Advertisement Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sign 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+ 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. Advertisement
Local Sweden
6 days ago
- Business
- Local Sweden
Was Sweden's historic alcohol problem exaggerated for political reasons?
This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with food historian Richard Tellström. Advertisement In this week's episode you can listen to a conversation our Nordic editor Richard Orange had recently with the high-profile food historian Richard Tellström about the history of Sweden's alcohol retail monopoly. Why did Sweden start rationing how much alcohol that could be bought as far back as the 1850s? How influential was the fledgling temperance movement? And was Sweden's alcohol problem really as bad as they claimed? What role does Systembolaget play in Swedish society today, and why is even the recent mild liberalisation that allows alcohol producers to sell small quantities on their own premises so fraught with controversy? Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra. READ ALSO: Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sweden 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+ 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 on a podcast platform. If you prefer to listen on the site, you can find all episodes at the bottom of our podcast page.
Local Sweden
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
All you need to know about hunting in Sweden
This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with Swedish hunting expert Filip Örnerkrans. Advertisement This week's episode consists of a fascinating interview with Filip Örnerkrans, a Swedish gun maker and hunting expert. He spoke recently with The Local's Becky Waterton about the historical and cultural details that help explain why hunting is so popular in Sweden, how gun ownership is regulated in a country that's home to almost 2 million firearms and how the hunting community has reacted to the government's decision to ban AR-15 semi-automatic rifles for hunting. READ ALSO: Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, out July 9th. Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sweden 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+ 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 on a podcast platform. If you prefer to listen on the site, you can find all episodes at the bottom of our podcast page.
Local Sweden
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Almedalen special: Swedish red tape vexes Ukrainians
This week: Can northern Sweden's green transition survive the fall of Northvolt, migration bureaucracy causes headache for Ukrainian refugees, and the former US ambassador talks about how his country's relationship with Europe has changed – and what remains the same. Advertisement In this week's episode we find out all that's happening at this year's Almedalen, Sweden's annual festival of politics on the island of Gotland. The Local's James Savage rounds up the sights and sounds from this year's event as he speaks to Helena Renström at Skellefteå municipality about Northvolt and the future of the northern Sweden green transition, and former US ambassador Eric Ramanathan. Khrystyna Hevchuk, chair of Refugee Hope, an organisation that helps Ukrainian refugees in Sweden, also explains how migration bureaucracy is making life hard for them. You can listen to the episode here: Or follow Sweden in Focus wherever you listen to podcasts. Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sweden 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+ 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 on a podcast platform. If you prefer to listen on the site, you can find all episodes at the bottom of our podcast page.
Local Sweden
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Fit in or stick out? How Sweden changes you
This week: 25 year of the bridge between Sweden and Denmark, and how moving to Sweden changes you. For Membership+ subscribers: Swiss risk losing right to permanent residency, and study shows which nationalities contribute most to the economy. Advertisement In this week's episode we talk about the bridge between Denmark and Sweden and how it means a lot more to one of our panelists than the sore feet she got after running across it. We also discuss what foreigners do to fit in in Sweden and why some people push back against assimilation. For Membership+ subscribers we examine how Sweden appears to have accidentally proposed blocking Swiss people from permanent residency. Last, but certainly not least, we dig into an eye-opening report breaking down immigrants' contribution to Swedish society by nationality. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange. Advertisement Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Sweden and Denmark Reader insights Immigration You can listen to the free episode here: Or follow Sweden in Focus wherever you listen to podcasts. Advertisement Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sign 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+ 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. Advertisement
