App Store

Google Play

DK - Details page - Device banner - 894x1036

Nyd den ubegrænsede adgang til tusindvis af spændende e- og lydbøger - helt gratis

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

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.

Sweden in Focus

In this week's episode we talk about Sweden’s return to day-to-day life as the summer holidays wind down. In politics we discuss divisions on the right on how to deal with Israel, and we dig into reactions to news that the Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson uses Chat GPT to test out new ideas.

Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelist Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:
Swedish traditions Eight phrases to get back in the groove like a Swede after the summer holidaysWeather MAP: The places in northern Sweden that set new heat records in JulyTourists seeking 'coolcations' in Norway and Sweden hit by heatwaves insteadPoliticsPolitics in Sweden: Swedish right divided over relations with IsraelChristian Democrat leader slammed for claiming Israel 'doing the world a favour'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.
 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Sweden’s right-wing parties are bickering over call to freeze trade with Israel

In this week's episode we bring in The Local's Denmark editor, Michael Barrett, to talk about why Denmark is liberating its work permit rules at the same time as Sweden is tightening up. And we assess Sweden’s big political experiment: a centre-right government backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Three years on, how has it been working?

Host Richard Orange is joined this week by The Local's publisher James Savage and Denmark editor Michael Barrett.

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

Work Permits Denmark to ease work permit rules for 16 non-EU countriesSweden raises work permit salary threshold to almost 30,000 kronorPolitics Can Kristersson convince voters to give him another term?

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 • .
 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are Sweden and Denmark going different ways on work permits

This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with Hanna Geurtsen, the Migration Agency official responsible for overseeing a new list of jobs which could be exempted from a future salary threshold for work permits. She tells us how and why the list was put together, what it consists of, and what practical impact, if any, it is likely to have.

Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra.

Read also: 

Swedish Migration Agency rates just two jobs as 'high risk' for work permitsREVEALED: The 152 jobs that could be excused minimum salary for a Swedish work permit

 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Work permit salary thresholds: Does exempted job list mean anything?

In this week's episode we talk about 'cloudburst-like rain' and what to do if your house is flooded, we talk about why Swedes tend to stay home in the summer, and we talk about what it's like to have a baby in Sweden. 

Floods 
How can you protect your Swedish home against downpours?
Swedish summer 
'On a sunny day, it can't be beat': The best things about spending summer in Sweden
Having babies 
How to use Swedish parental leave to spend four months with your baby back home

What you need to know about giving birth in Sweden

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.
 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Swedes stay home in summer (and it's not for the rain)

It’s time again to learn some Swedish as our panelists try their hand at the tricky vocabulary section of Högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam. 

Host Paul O’Mahony in Stockholm is joined this week from Malmö by The Local's Becky Waterton and Richard Orange.

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.

Is your Swedish good enough for university? – Quiz 11

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. 
Politics Swedish minister vows to stay on despite son's links to white supremacist groupsINTERVIEW: Probe into minister's relative has revealed 'threat to Swedish security'Working in Sweden 'Awesome people get pushed away': What's happening in the Swedish gaming industry?The seven bizarre traditions that make up Swedish MidsummerGet 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.
 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Sweden's migration minister survive scandal of son's extremist links?

In this week's episode we once again bring you a Swedish language quiz as The Local's journalists answer multiple choice questions from the vocabulary section of Högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined for the quiz by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange.

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.

Is your Swedish good enough for university? – Quiz 10

In this week’s episode we bring you a language quiz in which we put The Local’s journalists through their paces with questions from the vocabulary section of Högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined for the quiz by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange.

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.

Is your Swedish good enough for university? – Quiz 9

In this special episode from the Almedalen political week on Gotland, James Savage talks to former US Ambassador Erik Ramanathan about how much the Trump presidency is really changing the relationship between Sweden and the US. He also has an interview with campaigner Khrystyna Hevchuk about the challenges faced by Ukrainian refugees in Sweden. And Helena Renström from Skellefteå municipality talks about what Northvolt's bankruptcy means for work permit holders there. 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almedalen special: Swedish red tape vexes Ukrainians

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.

Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:
Sweden and DenmarkWhy the Bridge Run between Sweden and Denmark meant so much to meReader insights'Sometimes I explode inside': How foreigners in Sweden become more Swedish to fit inTen signs you're becoming more Swedish than the SwedesGet 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.

Fit in or stick out? How Sweden changes you

In this bonus episode of Sweden in Focus, we speak to the Social Democratic former education minister Anna Ekström about Nordic 'folk high schools', budget cuts to study associations, worsening segregation in Sweden's schools, why boys are underperforming, and whether Sweden needs more external grading.

In Saturday’s episode, the former government minister talked about ‘folkbildning’ as a particularly Nordic approach to education. 

Here we continue the conversation as Anna Ekström talks about her roles within the ABF study association, the history of the wider folkbildning movement, and the challenges faced today by the Swedish education system. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is also joined by The Local’s James Savage and Becky Waterton.

Here are links to some related stories, starting with Richard Orange‘s recent article on his own experience with the ABF study association:

Why Sweden should protect its fantastic popular education organisations
Budget cuts to folkbildning

Sweden still ‘a land of possibilities’ for foreigners says finance minister
School segregation 

LISTEN: How can Sweden make its schools less segregated?ARCHIVE: What’s behind the rising inequality in Sweden’s schools, and can it be fixed?

 
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

INTERVIEW: Why didn't the Social Democrats fix Sweden's school segregation problems?

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

Other podcasts you might like ...