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Artwork for Sweden in Focus

Sweden in Focus

The Local
Sweden
NATO
Sweden Democrats
Gang Violence
Jimmie Åkesson
Inflation
Economy
Centre-Right Political Parties
Coffee Culture
Sweden's Green Party
European Union Elections
Advent Celebrations
Tesla Strike
Drug Policy Reform
Russia
Civil Rights Defenders
Immigrant Job Market In Sweden
Immigration
Cost Of Living
Eurovision

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... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes213Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNewsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Sweden in Focus

Latest Episodes

When the hummus bar he founded really started to take off, Ibra Idrees employed his parents and brought them to Sweden But his mother and father now face deportation after the Migration Agency rejected his mother’s work permit.

In his conversation w... more

In this week's episode we talk about last weekend’s rowdy party leader debate and what it tells us about next year’s election.

We also dig into some insights from readers of The Local on what prompted people to pack their bags and move to Sweden.

F... more

Sweden is one of the worst countries in Europe when it comes to providing job opportunities for educated foreigners, according to an investigation last year by Lighthouse Reports and media outlets including the Financial Times. 

The study found for ... more

In this week's episode we talk about the politics behind Sweden's planned new salary threshold for work permit holders.

We also look at what readers of The Local always make sure to do when they’re back visiting the countries they moved from.

For M... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Ibra Idrees
Restaurant owner in Malmö who shared his struggles with the migration agency
Humuson
Episode: What's too expensive in Sweden (and what do you miss when you're not here)?
Tomas Fridh
migration lawyer with over 20 years of experience working with asylum cases.
Fridh Advokatbyrå, Gothenburg
Episode: Sweden’s teen deportation problem ‘extremely easy’ to fix
Moa Bursell
A sociologist who specializes in ethnic discrimination in the labor market
Institute for Future Studies and Mälardalen University
Episode: 'A big impact': How important is your name when seeking a job in Sweden?
Masoud Jamshidian
Solutions architect from Iran facing deportation due to an insurance error
Episode: 'I've never even jaywalked in Sweden'
Nagendra Siddoutam
Founder of Anchor Sports, promoting cricket in Sweden
Anchor Sports
Episode: Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?
Mattias Karlsson
Moderate Party politician engaging with cricket initiatives
Moderate Party
Episode: Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?
Hanna Geurtsen
Migration Agency official tasked with improving work permit processing.
Swedish Migration Agency
Episode: Work permit salary thresholds: Does exempted job list mean anything?
Erik Ramanathan
Former US ambassador to Sweden during the Biden administration.
Episode: Almedalen special: Swedish red tape vexes Ukrainians
Khrystyna Hevchuk
Founder of Refugee Hope, advocating for Ukrainian refugees in Sweden.
Refugee Hope
Episode: Almedalen special: Swedish red tape vexes Ukrainians

Hosts

Paul O'Mahony
Host known for engaging discussions on Swedish politics and culture.
Richard Orange
Editor known for in-depth analysis and commentary on Swedish affairs.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 400 ratings
  • Disappointing

    I’ve listened to this podcast for a while now. Sometimes it’s really helpful and informative but mostly it’s just some British people - often men - opining. Take the most recent episode about the cultural canon. No interviews. No critical insights from anyone who isn’t from England - Paul, thank you for the questions but get stuck in. No one who interrogates the idea that creating an exclusive canon (the creator of which has owned his politics on this very show) might exclude the migrant experie... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JoelHorwood
    Swedena month ago
  • Moved away from Balanced Discussion

    I have been a listener and a reader of The Local for 6 years and I am disheartened to see how much the publication has moved away from a balanced discussion to extreme left

    I am an immigrant myself but I find the discussions here so biased. Podcast never acknowledges crimes being committed, problems that illegal Immigration has caused in Sweden. It’s always blindly defending Sweden’s failed migration policy.

    That is why it fails to present a true reflection of how Swedish society feels. I fac... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Randomvk34
    India6 months ago
  • Causal racist and western superiorilism

    Really disappointed that people call non-western people uncivilized in this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Directusy
    Sweden9 months ago
  • Great podcast

    Informative and well presented. Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    evaaos
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Great weekly podcast about news in Sweden

    I’ve been listening to this since the first episode and I absolutely recommend it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Karthik-m
    India2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There's notable criticism regarding perceived biases in discussions, particularly around immigration topics and political stances.
Overall, reviews indicate a strong following from expatriates and individuals seeking reliable insights on Sweden.
Listeners appreciate the informative and well-researched content, finding it especially helpful for understanding Swedish culture and current events.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#16
Italy/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#138
Germany/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#193
Italy/News
Apple Podcasts
#10
Sweden/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#36
Ukraine/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#44
Japan/News/News Commentary

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What's too expensive in Sweden (and what do you miss when you're not here)?
Q: How have business groups responded to the proposal to raise the limit to 90 rather than 100 percent of the median salary?
Business groups are somewhat relieved that the threshold is not set at 100%, but still view the increase to 90% as worse than the previous system.
Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?
Q: Why is it interesting for you as politicians to get people interested in cricket?
Mattias Karlsson noted the importance of understanding sports that are growing fast in Sweden, particularly among the Indian and Pakistani diasporas.
Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?
Q: What do you think about the cricket community in Sweden?
Richard Orange describes the community as incredibly engaged, vibrant, yet extremely fractious with governance problems.
'We have let the Sweden Democrats become our voice on immigration'
Q: And what solutions, possible solutions, you think there might be for this problem to help some of these people stay?
Thor suggests changing the law to raise the age limit for work permits to retain young individuals who contribute to society.
'We have let the Sweden Democrats become our voice on immigration'
Q: What worries you about the impact that this issue might have?
Thor explains the significant negative impact on individuals who feel Swedish but face deportation, resulting in potential loss for Sweden.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Sweden in Focus

What is Sweden in Focus about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A structured examination of major news events and societal topics in Sweden is the hallmark of this weekly audio series, providing listeners with informative discussions that are both engaging and insightful. The hosts bring a mix of journalistic expertise and personal anecdotes to tackle complex issues ranging from immigration policies to cultural nuances, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of contemporary Swedish society. The insightful analyses often include voices from diverse backgrounds, making it particularly useful for non-Swedes seeking to navigate the intricacies of Swedish life.

Notably, the podcast has a keen focus on immigration, integration, and societal challenges, often highlighting the experiences of foreign national... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Sweden in Focus?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sweden in Focus:

1. Simple Swedish Podcast
2. Livet på lätt svenska
3. Swedish podcast for beginners (Lätt svenska med Oskar)
4. DW Berlin Briefing - Inside German politics
5. Decoder with Nilay Patel

How many episodes of Sweden in Focus are there?

Sweden in Focus launched 4 years ago and published 213 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Sweden in Focus?

Recent guests on Sweden in Focus include:

1. Ibra Idrees
2. Tomas Fridh
3. Moa Bursell
4. Masoud Jamshidian
5. Nagendra Siddoutam
6. Mattias Karlsson
7. Hanna Geurtsen
8. Erik Ramanathan

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