Sweden in Focus

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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ __ In this week’s episode Sweden’s Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz speaks with The Local’s publisher James Savage. James caught up with the minister on Thursday the 15th of January, a day after Danish and Greenlandic officials attended a meeting at the White House over the future of the Arctic island that US President Donald Trump said the United States wants to acquire. In the days following this interview Trump announced that the US was planning to impose additional tariffs on eight European countries that sent military personnel to Greenland on Denmark’s request. Sweden is one of the countries affected and the Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson reacted by saying that Europe would not let itself be blackmailed. Jessica Rosencrantz also speaks in the interview about what the EU can do to bolster its own defensive capability. And do Sweden’s plans to tighten citizenship requirements make it harder to compete for highly skilled workers with other EU countries. Tune in to this week's episode for the full interview with Jessica Rosencrantz. READ ALSO: INTERVIEW: ‘Sweden stands fully behind Denmark and Greenland’ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ __ In this week's episode we talk about brand new figures from the Migration Agency showing a steep drop in work permit and citizenship approvals in 2025 and we look at what some readers are telling us about why they’re choosing to leave Sweden. We also dig into the many ways the Swedish language lets us talk about wintry weather. For Membership+ subscribers we sink our teeth into the Swedish foods with geographical names that have earned official EU protected status from Scanian spettekaka to the polka pigs of Gränna. Finally we discuss how to choose a school for your child now that the application period is underway. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. The episode also features an excerpt from a conversation with Sweden's migration minister Johan Forssell. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Immigration Number of people granted Swedish citizenship drops 40 percentHow Sweden's government ignored warnings when revoking work permit lawWill deported workers really be able to return to Sweden after just 19 days?'I’m not valued': The reasons foreign residents are leaving SwedenLearning Swedish 'Pig cold': How to talk about the winter weather in SwedishFood and drink Calf dance and boiled bread: The Swedish foods with EU protectionSchools How to enrol your child in a Swedish school Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ _ This week’s episode of Sweden in Focus Extra features an interview with Niels Paarup-Petersen, the Centre Party's immigration spokesperson. Paarup-Petersen is a Danish-born, Malmö-based politician who became a Swedish citizen in 2010 in order to be able to vote in the country he moved to with his Swedish partner. The Local's Nordic editor Richard Orange caught up with him recently to get his analysis of what’s likely to happen with Sweden’s many immigration reforms in 2026 and whether immigration will be a big issue for voters in this year’s general election. READ ALSO: 'Let's not kick people out of Sweden who are already contributing' Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. __ In this week's episode we talk about growing protests over the deportation from Sweden of foreign workers and whether people taking to the streets is likely to have any impact on government policy. We also look at how Sweden is reacting to the capture of Venezuela’s president in a US military operation as well as US President Donald Trump’s renewed calls for his country to take control of Greenland. For Membership+ subscribers we highlight new laws that will impact our lives in Sweden in 2026, and we examine the state of play for the political parties at the start of election year. Finally we explain why Swedes traditionally wait until 20 days after Christmas before throwing out their Christmas trees. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. The episode also features an excerpts from interviews with the Centre Party's immigration policy spokesperson Niels Paarup-Petersen and Stockholm University politics professor Jan Teorell. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Immigration 'Sweden is my children's country': Health professionals ordered to leave after years of workDeportations spark pushback against Swedish migration reforms'Let's not kick people out of Sweden who are already contributing'Sweden's government to submit new work permit law to parliament 'in a couple of weeks'Sweden and the US 'We are free': Venezuelans in Sweden split on US attack Sweden in 2026 LISTED: All the new laws coming into force in Sweden at the start of 2026 20th day of Christmas Why Swedish Christmas lasts until January 13thHow to dispose of your Christmas tree in Sweden Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instead of a news roundup Sweden in Focus this week consists of a conversation with a journalist who has contributed several articles to The Local recently charting the immigrant experience. Faisal Khan ended up in Sweden after life in Afghanistan became "unbearable" for him and his family. It was a country he knew little about but soon came to appreciate. Despite a rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric he's hopeful Sweden can "correct course" and focus on finding solutions to real societal problems without seeking scapegoats. "I love everything about Sweden. I love its bad weather. I love its bad jokes, even though I don't understand most of them. My body doesn't accept the cold weather but I'm still optimistic," he says. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for an end-of-year quiz as we look back at the stories that shaped Sweden in 2025. Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage. The year kicked off with revelations that Sweden's national security advisor had mislaid highly sensitive documents and ended with the country's right-wing leaders meeting in the Prime Minister's home to hatch plans for election year. But how much do our contestants remember? And can you outperform them? 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 episode we talk about Christmas and how to celebrate like a Swede. We also discuss why prominent Moderate Party politicians are arguing amongst themselves about the merits of government policies that are forcing immigrants with jobs to leave the country. For Membership+ subscribers we look at the economic forecast for Sweden in 2026, which will also be a useful barometer to gauge the government’s chances of securing reelection. Finally we explain why a court has called off this year’s controversial wolf hunt and why a prominent commentator is linking anti-wolf sentiment to right-wing extremism. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. The episode also features an excerpt from an interview with Moderate Party youth leader Douglas Thor. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Christmas How to decorate your Christmas tree like a SwedeSkål! A guide to glögg, Sweden's favourite Christmas drinkWhen do you start saying Merry Christmas in Sweden?Politics Leader of Swedish Moderate youth wing criticises work permit reformsWhat will happen in Swedish politics during election year 2026?Economy How Sweden’s 2026 budget could affect your financesHow strong will the Swedish krona be in 2026?What a strong Swedish krona means for foreigners in SwedenWolves Planned wolf cull blocked by Swedish courtGet 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voters in Sweden will decide next year whether to keep the current coalition government bolstered by the far-right Sweden Democrats or switch to a more left-leaning alternative. The Local’s Nordic editor Richard Orange caught up recently with Jonas Hinnfors, a political science professor at Lund University, to get his predictions for the year ahead. Can the right-wing parties claw back the percentage points they need to surpass a potential Social Democrat-led coalition in the polls? What are the topics likely to dominate the debate in 2026? Will immigration take centre stage again? Which leaders risk getting the boot, and will all current parties meet the four-percent parliamentary threshold? Tune in to this week's episode for the full interview. READ ALSO: GUIDE: Everything you need to know about Sweden's political partiesSwedish pro-government parties 'agreed on a plan' for second term in powerGet 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ 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 episode we talk about why immigrants in Sweden are often lumped into categories and what needs to be done to forge real connections, and we look at what Indian readers are telling us about their relationship with Sweden. Also, after the United States released a national security strategy that sent shockwaves through Europe, we examine what commentators are saying about the potential ramifications here in Sweden. For Membership+ subscribers we discuss what it takes to get a gymnasium, or upper secondary level, qualification in Swedish. And with Princess Sofia in the news over meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, we talk through her rise to prominence from Paradise Hotel contest to Duchess of Värmland. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and James Savage. The episode also features an interview with our contributor Faisal Khan. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Immigration LONG READ: In Sweden, there are only good, bad, ugly and evil immigrantsUN slams Sweden's 'discriminatory' push to tighten citizenship rules'The cold changes people's brains': Do Indians in Sweden prefer life back home?Language How to decide which Swedish language certificate is best for youRoyals ARCHIVE: How a reality TV star got a Swedish fairytale 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get 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. 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 episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, we hear from the Umeå-based Canadian writer. Mandy Pipher about what it's been like moving to Umeå in northern Sweden. Mandy wrote recently in an article for The Local about the ignorance and prejudices people from Norrland often face about a region that makes up more than half of Sweden’s surface area. We wanted to catch up with her to find out more about why she moved to Umeå and what kind of reactions she has had when telling people about her move to northern Sweden. She also talks about the complicated history underpinning many southerners' preconceived notions about a part of the country she describes as 'magical' in many respects. Tune in to this week's episode for the full interview with Mandy Pipher. READ ALSO: Why northern Swedes feel ignored and underappreciatedFive reasons why Sweden is not the Canada of EuropeGet 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ 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 episode we talk about why northern Sweden doesn’t get the recognition it deserves from southerners, and we prepare for the annual Lucia festivities by getting to know some of the most common songs that are sung to mark the day. For membership+ subscribers we find out why Swedish publishers have reported Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the police. Finally we examine how new Swedish migration rules could affect foreign residents in 2026. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and James Savage. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Northern Sweden Why northern Swedes feel ignored and underappreciatedLucia Things you should NEVER say to a Swede on Lucia dayThe historical dark side of Sweden's Lucia traditionCrime Swedish media body reports Mark Zuckerberg to police over scam adsThe link we mention for reporting scam ads isn't live yet. We'll add it here once it's up. Immigration How new Swedish migration rules could affect foreign residents in 2026Politics in Sweden Why does the Swedish right love to bash SVT?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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can our panelists pass the vocabulary section of högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam? Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage. Do you know what a nässeldjur is? None of our panelists did. Tune in to see how you fare in our multiple-choice quiz. Already a Membership+ subscriber? Make sure to activate Sweden in Focus Extra via the podcast tab on your account page. READ ALSO: SWEDISH TEST: Can you pass the vocab part of Sweden's version of the SAT? What you need to know about applying to university in Sweden The seven stages of learning Swedish every foreigner goes through 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ 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 episode we talk about Sweden’s immigrant deportation centres and why reports of miserable conditions there should concern everyone in Sweden. We also discuss the two-decades old murder in a religious sect of a pastor’s wife in a case that gripped Sweden for months at the time. With 2026 nearly upon us, we hear some of The Local’s readers’ predictions for what next will bring. Finally, a Sweden Democrat youth leader argued at the weekend that Islam has no place in Sweden. Is this kind of extreme comment a harbinger of what’s to come if the far-right party gets its first ever ministerial appointments after next year’s election? Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and James Savage. ____ Black Friday sale Here's the Black Friday deal mentioned in the introduction. ____ And here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Detained in Sweden Swedish migration detention centres slammed for causing 'unnecessary suffering'Why the state of Sweden's detention centres matters for all of us'Poor training at Swedish deportation centres risks improper treatment'Swedish migration detention centre 'a prison in every way'Knutby ARCHIVE: Why a Swedish town notorious for murder is back in the spotlight Sweden in 2026 TELL US: What are your predictions for life in Sweden in 2026? Sweden Democrats Leader of Sweden Democrat youth group: 'Islam has no place in Sweden'Sweden Democrat youth wing leader calls for US-style 'ICE' police force 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 episode we hear a conversation our Nordic editor Richard Orange had recently with Sasan Kazemian, an Iranian doctor who quit his job and left Sweden for Iran in September after he was refused a work permit extension. We’ve spoken to him previously for the podcast and wanted to catch up again to find out about his application to return to Sweden on a Blue Card visa. But any hopes he had of coming back to his girlfriend and apartment in Huddinge have been put on hold after the Migration Agency deemed him a “threat to public order”. Having spent lots of time and money learning Swedish and getting his Swedish medical qualifications, Kazemian is determined to return. But how likely is it that he’ll win his appeal? Tune in to this week's episode for the full story. READ ALSO: 'Threat to public order': Doctor's Swedish work permit application rejected again'It's a brain drain': Doctor ordered to leave Sweden over mix-up with Migration AgencyGet 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ 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 episode we talk about strategies for coping with the long Swedish winter now that temperatures have taken a serious nosedive. In politics, with several parties teetering on the brink of the parliamentary threshold, we examine what happens to their votes if they don’t quite make it. For Membership+ subscribers, we discuss new figures from the Migration Agency confirming a major slowdown in citizenship and work permit approvals. Finally, we look at what readers of The Local are telling us about items they miss from home and how they manage to get their hands on them in Sweden. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and James Savage. ____ Black Friday sale Here's the Black Friday deal mentioned in the introduction. ____ And here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Winter 'My heart jumps with joy!' How foreigners feel about the Swedish winterWhat you need to know about winter tyres in SwedenPolitics The strange power of Sweden's four-percent minnows 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 episode deputy editor Becky Waterton chats with Tom Simpson, a New Zealander who missed the kind of savoury pies that were commonplace in his homeland so much that he set up his own bakery and set to work creating NZ pies, which can now be found in supermarkets all over Sweden. So what's in his pies, and what advice he would give to anyone considering setting up their own business in Sweden? 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 episode we talk about a new map that shows just how successfully we immigrants are managing to take control of Sweden. We also put faces to the names of some of Sweden’s most popular brands. For Membership+ subscribers we uncork the results of a reader survey about the Swedish sense of humour. We also get into why it will no longer be possible to drop in for a visit to your local Migration Agency contact centre. Finally, we examine why language tests for citizenship applicants might not see the light of day for another three years. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Politics Sweden Democrats MEP publishes controversial 'immigration map'OPINION: Our immigrant takeover of Sweden is progressing nicelyFood & Drink Gorbys, Kalles and Billys: The faces behind Sweden’s favourite brand namesGet 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can our panelists pass the vocabulary section of högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam? Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Richard Orange and James Savage. Can you tell your lenses from your lentils? Have you heard the term på måfå? And what's a show trial in Swedish? READ ALSO: SWEDISH TEST: Can you pass the vocab part of Sweden's version of the SAT? What you need to know about applying to university in Sweden The seven stages of learning Swedish every foreigner goes through 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 episode we talk about how many people get divorced in Sweden and what the experience has been like for readers of The Local. We also look at international flights: why are there more flights than before out of Stockholm and why is it so expensive to fly from Gothenburg? Also, who are all those people in the photos in the arrivals hall at Arlanda Airport? For Membership+ subscribers, we examine what detainees are saying about conditions inside Sweden’s immigrant detention centres. And with the Centre Party electing a new leader, is anyone in Swedish politics ready to present an optimistic view of Sweden’s future? Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Richard Orange and James Savage. Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Reader insights 'Not seen as a taboo or failure': What it's like getting divorced in SwedenTravel International flights at Arlanda above pre-pandemic levelsFlights from Gothenburg almost twice the price of Stockholm or CopenhagenImmigration 'Worse than prison': Brexit Brit locked up in Swedish detention centre then deportedPolitics Who is the Swedish Centre Party's new leader and why does it matter?GUIDE: Everything you need to know about Sweden's political parties 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's quiz time again in this week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers. Can our panelists pass the vocabulary section of högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam? Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage. 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+ For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+For new members:Get Membership+ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.