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Sweden in Focus: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Local
Sweden in Focus is The Local’s weekly podcast where we discuss the big news and talking points in Sweden as well as explore and explain the issues that impact life in the country. We also answer your essential questions and look ahead at what’s coming up.In each episode presenter Paul O’Mahony chats about the most important news and must-know information with The Local Sweden’s James Savage, Emma Löfgren, Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. They are frequently joined by other expert commentators. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 5 days ago21 min
What this US chef loves about Swedish food
What does an American chef notice when he transplants himself to Sweden? John Klopson, known as Lost Chef in Sweden on Instagram and TikTok, talks to James Savage of his love for Swedish bread and dairy, and asks why Swedes use so much salt. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago29 min
What was Greta Garbo really like?
How did Greta Gustafsson, a shop assistant born into an ordinary working family in Stockholm, transform into Greta Garbo, one of the greatest film stars of all time? And what was she really like as a person? Scott Reisfield, her great-nephew and biographer, tells James Savage that her Swedishness permeated her work and influence on Hollywood.Link: https://scottreisfield.com/ Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago36 min
Is Sweden flunking at AI?
AI looks set to cause huge disruption to the world of work and to almost all aspects of our lives. Yet while Sweden is home to some leading AI companies, Swedish politicians are not rising to the major challenges that the technology poses, says author and AI expert Johan Falk to James Savage.Read more: Politics in Sweden: Why are Swedish politicians so silent on AI?Johan Falk's English Substack Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago39 min
Our big poll on Sweden
The Local's weekly podcast with news from Sweden. This week, James Savage, Emma Löfgren and Mandy Pipher discuss a new poll of The Local's readers on the highs and lows of living in Sweden. We also talk about what the government hopes to achieve by slashing taxes on fuel and public transport, and on an interview we did with migration minister Johan Forssell.Read more on the subjects we talk about in this episode:Swedish migration minister: 'One day you're a Nazi, the next a left-wing activist' POLL: Foreign residents love Sweden, but are afraid they'll be forced outSweden becomes one of Europe's cheapest countries for petrol and diesel Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 27, 202615 min
Almedalen bonus: 'Sweden needs more ambition'
Sweden's Nordic editor Richard Orange was in Visby this week at the Almedalen political festival. One of the many people he spoke to was Niels Paarup-Petersen, who is the migration, education and digitalisation spokesperson for the Centre Party. On a walk through the city's medieval streets they discussed the chances of the government surviving after the election. And what would a new government do about transitional rules for citizenship? Also, are Sweden's political parties too wedded to incremental growth? Is it time to get a lot more ambitious in the age of AI? Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 26, 202643 min
Almedalen special: Is Sweden's government toast?
This week host James Savage and regular panelist Richard Orange record the podcast from Almedalen, the annual politics fest in Visby on the Baltic island of Gotland. They are joined for a lively politics conversation by Henrik Torehammar, a political commentator for the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper. Almedalen is sometime criticised as an event for Sweden's elites, but how elitist can any event really be in what Torehammar calls a "bicycle monarchy" famed for its flat hierarchies? Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's Moderate Party is edging towards a disastrous election if polls are to be believed. Can he pull a result out of the fire at the eleventh hour? The opposition parties look poised to snatch power. But will some pretty major ideological differences act as a stumbling block for the Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson? And what issues are likely to dominate in the run-up to the September election. Immigration? Climate? Or could the rise of AI make its presence felt on the campaign trail? Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:PoliticsWhy are Swedish politicians so silent on AI?Sweden Democrat leader takes aim at Social Democrats in key speechSweden Democrats launch retro election campaign to make 'Sweden like Sweden again'More than half of voters think Sweden's government will lose electionStay on top of the Swedish election: How to follow The Local's coverage Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 24, 202632 min
Legal fight begins on Swedish citizenship rejections
Earlier this year the Fair Transition campaign group tried to convince Swedish decision makers to introduce transitional rules for the citizenship reforms which came into force on June 6th.Two months have now passed since the Swedish parliament voted against transitional rules by the smallest of margins after the far-right Sweden Democrats sent in two MPs who were supposed to be withheld from the vote.So what now for the campaigners fighting on behalf of the 100,000 citizenship applicants waiting in the citizenship queue? The Local’s editor Emma Löfgren caught up with the group's spokesman Patrick Gallen to find out more about Fair Transitions plans as they prepare to mount a legal challenge in Sweden's migration courts. READ ALSO:Sweden Democrats accused of cheating to block transitional rules for citizenship Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 18, 202628 min
What kind of bad conduct could get you kicked out of Sweden?
This week we talk about the Swedish culture of long summer holidays and how to make the most of them.Also: parliament has passed a law that will make it possible to revoke residence permits for “poor conduct”. Now that it has passed, will you live to regret that speeding fine?Why is the government pressing ahead with plans for mandatory ‘language preschools’ for children who don’t speak good Swedish, despite an official investigator saying that the idea was legally and practically difficult, and possibly discriminatory?And we look at how the government is finding it ever harder to get its agenda through parliament, as their plans to let 13 year olds go to jail were defeated.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:Residency permitsSwedish parliament votes to revoke residency permits over 'poor conduct'MidsummerDo I get a day off in Sweden at Midsummer?What's open and what's closed in Sweden during Midsummer?PoliticsSweden tightens residency rules, but opposition's challenge delays child detention billClosed-doors agreement on Sweden's parliamentary pairing row collapsesSwedish government to push ahead with mandatory language preschool despite legal warningsGet 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+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
About Sweden in Focus
Sweden in Focus is The Local’s weekly podcast where we discuss the big news and talking points in Sweden as well as explore and explain the issues that impact life in the country. We also answer your essential questions and look ahead at what’s coming up.In each episode presenter Paul O’Mahony chats about the most important news and must-know information with The Local Sweden’s James Savage, Emma Löfgren, Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. They are frequently joined by other expert commentators. Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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