Become a member of The Local __ In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by Johan Wicklén , a reporter with public broadcaster SVT and the author of a book on Sweden's war on drugs. Tune in for the second part of a wide-ranging conversation on everything from the history of Sweden’s zero tolerance drug policy to whether our guest thinks Sweden will eventually move towards liberalization like many other countries have done in recent years. You can listen ...
Apr 15, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 19
Become a member of The Local __ In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren . This week we take a closer look at what makes a Swedish Easter. Witches and herring: Seven traditions that reveal it's Easter in Sweden PODCAST: 65,000 bomb shelters, a Swedish teacher's tips, and Easter insults 'Ash fart', 'fat pig' and 'long lazy': a guide to Sweden's Easter insults We discuss a new court ruling allowing...
Apr 08, 2023•31 min•Season 5Ep. 18
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Becky Waterton and Richard Orange . This week we kick off with a few current talking points in Sweden: the weather's still bitterly cold but at least the Easter break is coming up; why a post-match football interview sparked a racism row ; and should Sweden follow Denmark's lead on Brexit Brits ? What changes in Sweden in April 2023? As food prices hit record highs we look at why a price...
Apr 01, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 17
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Becky Waterton and Richard Orange . This week we’re talking about why the Swedish state may soon find itself in court over its alleged climate inaction. Swedish court to hear young people’s climate lawsuit against the state After our chat with crime reporter Diamant Salihu a few weeks ago we go deeper on Swedish gangster rap and look at how close some of its most successful practitioners...
Mar 25, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 16
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange . In this week’s episode we discuss how the fallout from the recent banking sector turmoil might affect savers in Sweden. How safe is your money in a Swedish bank account? What’s going on with Nato? Are Hungary and Turkey are going to let Finland and Sweden in? ‘Increased chance that Finland joins NATO before Sweden’: PM Is it time to dispense with ‘de’ and ‘dem’ in w...
Mar 18, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 15
In this special bonus episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast, we hear more from our guest Jonathan Leman, a researcher with the Expo Foundation, which monitors and exposes far-right extremism in Sweden. Host Paul O’Mahony is also joined by panelists James Savage, Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren. In this episode we continue our chat about the far-right Sweden Democrats' interactions with the more extreme fringe of the nationalist movement. We discuss the Sweden Democrats' increasing climate scept...
Mar 14, 2023•29 min•Season 5Ep. 14
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by guest Jonathan Leman from the Expo Foundation, as well as panelists Becky Waterton, Emma Löfgren and James Savage . In this week’s episode we discuss why two lay judges ( nämndemän ) resigned after a highly controversial court ruling that hinged on an interpretation of the word snippa . How Sweden's lay judge system works With tax declaration season soon upon us we’ll provide some handy tips to get you through ...
Mar 11, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 13
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange, Emma Löfgren and James Savage . This week we have a brief chat about the Northern Lights, which were visible all over Sweden last weekend. SWEDEN IN PICTURES: Your best Northern Lights snaps We then talk about Turkey resuming Nato talks with Sweden and whether Hungary might put a spanner in the works. Finland to join Nato without Sweden if Turkey gives go ahead Hungary’s president Orbá...
Mar 04, 2023•42 min•Season 5Ep. 12
In the second part of the interview, host Paul O’Mahony asks Ukraine's ambassador to Sweden, Andrii Plakhotniuk , about how the war has changed the focus of his job as ambassador, what Sweden is doing to facilitate Ukraine’s EU accession talks, how the invasion has affected Ukraine’s Swedish-speaking village Gammalsvenskby, and how Swedish humanitarian aid can help rebuild Ukraine. DON'T MISS: The Ambassadors: Swedish-Ukrainian relations 'getting stronger every day' How has war changed life for ...
Feb 28, 2023•13 min•Season 5Ep. 11
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Becky Waterton and Loukas Christodoulou . This week we talk about why children get a week off school at this time of the year. Swedish word of the day: sportlov We look at why Turkey has softened its stance on Sweden’s Nato application. ‘A welcome message’: Turkey open for new Nato talks with Sweden After a government press conference last week, we examine what progress Sweden is making on work permit...
Feb 25, 2023•42 min•Season 5Ep. 10
In this special bonus episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, we hear more from our guest Peter Gerlach, an economist with the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, LO. Host Paul O’Mahony is also joined by panelists James Savage, Richard Orange and Emma Löfgren. In this episode we continue our chat about the state of Sweden's economy after an EU Commission reporter put the country at the bottom of the class. We discuss Sweden's upcoming round of wage negotiations, predictions that Sweden is facing ...
Feb 21, 2023•30 min•Season 5Ep. 9
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Richard Orange and Emma Löfgren . Our guest this week is Peter Gerlach , an economist with the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO). We kick off with a chat about the Migration Agency and why the government has decided it wants to replace Mikael Ribbenvik, who has headed the agency for the last seven years. Head of Sweden's criticised Migration Agency forced out after seven years Then ...
Feb 18, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Richard Orange and Emma Löfgren . The episode also features interviews with Britain's ambassador to Sweden Judith Gough and Becky Waterton meets Sweden's migration minister Maria Malmer Stenergard . First, we talk about why Sweden is warning of an increased terror threat. Three things we know about the terror threat in Sweden Then we look at a great Swedish word that describes life in Sw...
Feb 11, 2023•42 min•Season 5Ep. 7
In this special bonus episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, we hear more from special guest Diamant Salihu, a crime reporter for public broadcaster SVT and the author of the award-winning book Tills Alla Dör, or Until Everyone's Dead. Host Paul O’Mahony is also joined by panelists James Savage, Richard Orange and Becky Waterton. In this episode we continue our chat about Sweden's gang crime problem. We discuss the central role of social media and gangster rap, how gangs are recruiting young ch...
Feb 07, 2023•33 min•Season 5Ep. 6
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists James Savage, Richard Orange and Becky Waterton, as well as special guest Diamant Salihu, a crime reporter for public broadcaster SVT and the author of the award winning Tills Alla Dör, or Until Everyone's Dead. But first we look at what's coming up in February. Visit the link below to get all the key info you need on: accessing Sweden's new energy subsidy, registering a pre-paid SIM card, the likelih...
Feb 04, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 5
In this bonus episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange and Becky Waterton, as well as special guest Andreas Cervenka, author of the award winning Girig-Sverige, or Greedy Sweden. We discuss how rising interest rates are putting pressure on homeowners, how billionaires are profiting from Sweden’s most disadvantaged areas, how an ex-politician became a billionaire from buying up local council properties, why Andreas believes the Swedish centr...
Jan 31, 2023•17 min•Season 5Ep. 4
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Emma Löfgren, Richard Orange and Becky Waterton, as well as special guest Andreas Cervenka, author of the award winning Girig-Sverige, or Greedy Sweden. On this week's episode we dissect Sweden's stalled Nato application and who's behind the Koran-burning stunt that prompted Turkey to postpone the ratification process indefinitely. How did a far-right extremist derail Sweden's Nato application? Previo...
Jan 28, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 3
In the latest episode, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Emma Löfgren, Richard Orange and James Savage. On this week's episode we explore a game-changing rare earth metal find in northern Sweden . We discuss Sweden's priorities for the EU presidency with Louise Bengtsson, senior researcher at the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies. INTERVIEW: What's on the agenda for Sweden's EU presidency? As rail operator SJ prepares to launch a sleeper train from Stockholm to Berlin , we ta...
Jan 21, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 2
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Becky Waterton , Emma Löfgren and James Savage. On this week's episode we examine the King’s 43-year grudge against a law change on the line of succession. Swedish King still annoyed over 'unfair' succession law We discuss why this is a good year for public holidays in Sweden. How to make the most of Sweden's public holidays in 2023 With a report suggesting the Swedish economy is facing its biggest sh...
Jan 14, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 1
In the final episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast for 2022, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage. What does 2023 hold in store for Sweden? We chat about some of the stories expected to dominate the news agenda next year. Check out our preview article to find out more: Everything that changes in Sweden in 2023 A special thank you to The Local's members! Your support is what makes the podcast possible. Happy New Year to all our listen...
Dec 31, 2022•18 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Here are some of the stories we discuss in this week's episode: John Oliver discover's Malmö's sexy bins Sweden blocks extradition of Turkish journalist Government orders crackdown on work and residence permit abuses Crown Princess’s favourite chimp dies after zoo escape Jan: storms Feb: Bishop defrocked March: Melodifestivalen April: Nyamko Sabuni resigns May: Boris Johnson to Harpsund June: Riksbank hikes rates July: Pole vault world record Aug: Right-wing extremist candidates Sep: Swedish ele...
Dec 23, 2022•32 min•Season 4Ep. 22
SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus JOIN THE LOCAL: Podcast listener offer __ In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage, as well as guest Jonas Engman , ethnologist and curator at Nordiska Museet and an expert on Swedish traditions. This week our columnist David Crouch wrote an excellent article about Sweden's property market slump. We discuss how property woes and rising pri...
Dec 17, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 21
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage, as well as guest Anna Troberg, chairman of the DIK union for culture sector workers and an opponent of the government's plans for a cultural canon. We also have an interview with Pakistan's ambassador to Sweden, Zahoor Ahmed, to find out about the Pakistani community in Sweden and some cultural differences between the countries. For our main to...
Dec 10, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 20
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage . We also have interviews with the Irish Ambassador to Sweden, Austin Gormley, and psychologist Mona Lindqvist from the Stockholm region's Transcultural Center. For our main topic this week we look at how Swedes and foreigners can overcome their cultural differences to make relationships work. We received some fascinating responses when we asked...
Dec 03, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 19
JOIN THE LOCAL: Podcast listener offer __ In the latest episode of Sweden in Focus we chat about the heavy snow that has fallen this week and how Sweden has coped. READER PICS: Snow turns Sweden into a winter wonderland Six things they don’t tell you about the snow in Sweden We look at how Advent is celebrated in Sweden. How a German Christmas tradition became distinctively Swedish We discuss the second spectacular spy story in the space of two weeks. Russian couple arrested as spies after helic...
Nov 26, 2022•35 min•Season 4Ep. 18
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage , as well as guest Sayaka Osanami Törngren , Associate Professor in International Migration and Ethnic Relations at Malmö University. This week we start with a chat about the World Cup in Qatar which kicks off this weekend. How can I watch the 2022 World Cup on Swedish TV? We discuss a major spy scandal involving two brothers. KEY POINTS: What d...
Nov 19, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 17
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage . The episode also features an interview with Paul Levin , Director of Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies. Sweden's speech culture. When and how should you give a speech or toast in Sweden? The new government’s first budget and how people in Sweden have reacted to it. EXPLAINED: How Sweden’s 2023 budget could benefit your finan...
Nov 12, 2022•40 min•Season 4Ep. 16
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage. The episode also features interviews with Jörgen Hedman, an author and researcher who has written extensively about the history of a Swedish village in Ukraine, and Kimberly Nicholas, a climate scientist at Lund University. This week's topics: Houdini's homecoming: the snake returns Work permits Swedish businesses attack plan to hike work permit...
Nov 05, 2022•32 min•Season 4Ep. 15
In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton, Richard Orange and James Savage, as well as US tech worker Kat Zhou, who found herself in the eye of a storm after posting about her experiences of racism in Sweden on Twitter. We also hear from Kash Haresamudram , a doctoral researcher in Lund who was one of more than 500 respondents to our survey on xenophobia in Sweden. You can read more about these stories on the links belo...
Oct 29, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 14
SURVEY: Share your feedback on Sweden in Focus JOIN THE LOCAL: Podcast listener offer __ In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by regular panelists Becky Waterton , Richard Orange and James Savage . We also have expert commentary from labour policy expert Tove Hovemyr and human rights expert John Stauffer , legal director at Human Rights Watch. In this week's episode we dig into the makeup of the new government which was officially unveiled on Tuesday...
Oct 22, 2022•37 min•Season 4Ep. 13
