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Sweden in Focus

The Local
Sweden
Sweden Democrats
Immigration
Work Permits
Swedish Language
Migration Agency
Northvolt
Teen Deportations
Immigration Policy
Immigration Laws
NATO
Swedish Vocabulary
Swedish Migration Agency
Social Democrats
Ukraine
Högskola Provet
Iran
Gang Violence
Family Reunification
2015 Refugee Crisis

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 James Savage chats about the most important news and must-know information with The Local Sweden’s Emma Löfgren, Richa... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes271Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsNews CommentarySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Sweden in Focus

Latest Episodes

The repercussions of the Sweden Democrats' decision to defy Swedish parliamentary convention to get new citizenship rules passed without transitional rules are continuing to be felt.

But what are the long-term consequences of the Sweden Democrats' w... more

This week we discuss the talk about whether the rule of law is threatened in Sweden, as many lawyers are now arguing. 

We also ask why things got heated in the Riksdag this week.

Why are some museums saying they’re being forced out of Stockholm?

A... more

Sweden is introducing a stricter new citizenship law from June 6th. But there will be no transitional provisions for the 100,000 people waiting in the citizenship queue.

That’s unless opposition politicians manage to force lawmakers to vote again on... more

This week we discuss the aftershock from last week’s parliamentary vote on stricter citizenship rules.

We’ve got an interview with Åsa Holmes from the Migration Agency on how the new rules will be applied — and what it means for people already in th... more

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Recent Guests

Mikael Ordenberg
Former defense minister, moderator guest
Moderate Party
Episode: Why 1,800 lawyers warn rule of law is under threat in Sweden
Åsa Holmes
Head of the Citizenship Unit, Swedish Migration Agency (Gothenburg)
Swedish Migration Agency
Episode: 'All applications in Sweden's citizenship queue will be assessed according to the new rules'
Andreas Bergh
Associate professor of economics at Lund University; researcher on welfare state and migration policies
Lund University; Research Institute for Industrial Economics (Stockholm)
Episode: 'Swedes are realising we need people from other countries to do jobs'
Elsa Vidding
Former Sweden Democrat MP, writer on transitional rules
Former Sweden Democrats
Episode: How Sweden’s dramatic citizenship law deadline day unfolded
Nicholas Aylott
Associate Professor of Political Science
Södertörn University
Episode: 'Still a mystery' how Sweden's left can end in-fighting to rule together
Fahima Ayub Khan
Linguistics and cognitive science researcher, PhD candidate at the University of Gothenburg
University of Gothenburg
Episode: 'Sweden is no longer good at protecting the interests of its international residents'
Amelie Berg
Expert on immigration and mobility issues
Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
Episode: ‘It’s wrong for the Swedish state to decide who companies should employ’
Therese Svanström
Chairperson of TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees)
TCO
Episode: 'We worry that migration rules are making Sweden more unattractive'
Therese Svansström
Chairperson of the Swedish Professional Employees Association (TCO)
TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees)
Episode: How to celebrate Easter in Sweden, and unions press government on immigration clampdown

Hosts

Paul O'Mahony
Host with deep experience covering Sweden; frequently moderates and questions guests.
Becky Waterton
Regular speaker and Deputy Editor for The Local Sweden, provides editorial viewpoints.
Richard Orange
Nordic editor with a focus on migration and Nordic news.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 409 ratings
  • Superb… but

    Content is great and provides really good updates on the current situation in Sweden BUT why oh why do we get tiny 2 pr 3 minute trailers and have to suffer all the attendant adverts and constant pleas to join the plus service?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Marks in the Sand
    Sweden2 months ago
  • On point and so informative

    Absolutely wolf this pod cast down the nanosecond they get released. Great chemistry between hosts that makes my horrible commute bearable. I’m not a Swede or live in Sweden but I love to learn about the culture of places I visit and I visited Sweden a bunch of times. Cheers and thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LTFAD
    United States2 months ago
  • 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
    Sweden8 months 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
    Indiaa year ago
  • Causal racist and western superiorilism

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

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Directusy
    Swedena year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise clear, informed debate and coverage of Sweden's immigration policy.
Strong positive feedback on interviews with experts and policy-focused episodes.
Audience appreciates approachable explanations of complex legal issues.
Some critique perceived bias or UK/US-centric viewpoints.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#8
Sweden/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#13
India/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#56
Ukraine/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#78
Sweden/News
Apple Podcasts
#90
Russia/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#105
China/News/News Commentary

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Week of chaos in Swedish politics after citizenship vote scandal
Q: How likely is it that the government can secure a new vote or revocation under the current committee dynamics?
The host and analysts suggest that while the government wants a resolution, the Sweden Democrats appear firm in their stance, and without a broader quittening agreement or changes that preserve the government's majority, a new vote is unlikely in the near term.
Week of chaos in Swedish politics after citizenship vote scandal
Q: So Becky, why is the opposition accusing the Sweden Democrats of cheating here?
The opposition accuses the Sweden Democrats of breaking a long-standing, signed agreement by bringing in two MPs who had promised not to vote, in order to cancel out two independent MPs and push the transitional rules through.
'Swedes are realising we need people from other countries to do jobs'
Q: Could you briefly explain what your survey found about public attitudes toward immigration policy in Sweden?
The survey showed a broad willingness among Swedes for immigrants who lawfully support themselves to stay, suggesting the public may favor more liberal attitudes than the policymakers' restrictive moves would indicate.
'All applications in Sweden's citizenship queue will be assessed according to the new rules'
Q: Is it true that the agency is trying to process as many applications as possible before June 6th?
The agency emphasizes they are not pursuing a special pre-change rush; instead they continue processing continuously and in line with normal prioritization, including court-ordered cases and oldest-first processing.
'Still a mystery' how Sweden's left can end in-fighting to rule together
Q: But the question everyone's asking is, could this disparate group of parties form a government? Will the centre party or the left party drop some of their red lines to make this happen?
The guest explains that the left bloc has been dominant in polls but faces real coordination challenges among Social Democrats, Left Party, Greens, and Centre Party, who may all be needed for a majority; the informal nature of the bloc and shifting party positions, including the Centre Party moving closer to the left, create uncertainty about a stable government.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sweden in Focus

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

A weekly, issue-driven discussion focused on Sweden's big news, especially immigration, policy changes, and their real-world impacts. The show blends policy analysis with on-the-ground storytelling, bringing in politicians, think-tank experts, and journalists to unpack how national decisions shape life in Sweden. Listeners likely appreciate thoughtful critique, clear explanations of complex legal terrain, and a balanced mix of data, personal stories, and cultural context. A notable strength is the willingness to interrogate policy proposals with legal and economic angles, while featuring voices from think tanks, government, and opposition alike. This makes it useful for decision-makers, professionals covering Nordic affairs, and expats seek... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Sweden in Focus?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sweden in Focus:

1. Inside Europe
2. Today in Focus
3. Ones and Tooze
4. The Europeans | European news, politics and culture
5. The Rachman Review

How many episodes of Sweden in Focus are there?

Sweden in Focus launched 5 years ago and published 271 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. Mikael Ordenberg
2. Åsa Holmes
3. Andreas Bergh
4. Elsa Vidding
5. Nicholas Aylott
6. Fahima Ayub Khan
7. Amelie Berg
8. Therese Svanström

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