In this week's episode: how the new budget affects foreigners, favourite Swedish expressions, and a Social Democrat lottery scandal.

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

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

• How will Sweden's new budget affect foreign residents?

• Seven Swedish expressions which will make you sound like a local
• Swedish word of the day: tjafs

• Why a lottery scandal could change the funding balance in Swedish politics

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In this week's episode: Nordic cross-border lingo, who's who in Sweden's cabinet reshuffle, drone alerts at Arlanda Airport, what next for Northvolt after cuts?

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren.

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

• OPINION: Swedes, it's time to embrace language barriers, not avoid them

• Swedish PM announces new foreign, migration and EU ministers in reshuffle
• Who is Johan Forssell, Sweden's new migration minister?

• What do we know about the suspected drone sightings at Sweden's Arlanda Airport?

• Northvolt warns of layoffs in bid to cut costs

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In this week's episode: foreign minister steps down, new screen use recommendations, why the government is scrapping flight tax, and Sweden's biggest ever toxic waste scandal.

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

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

• Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billström to step down and leave politics
• Swedish government to scrap flight tax from next summer

• 'The situation is dramatic': Sweden issues new advice on screen time for youngsters

• 11 people on trial in Sweden's biggest toxic waste scandal

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In this week's episode: Government backtracks on biofuels. How happy is the right-wing coalition at the half-way point of its tenure? Church politicians push to ban practice of fathers 'giving away the bride'.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Emma Löfgren and James Savage.

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

• Will a U-turn on biofuels win the government back green voters?

• Seven totally Swedish wedding traditions
• ARCHIVE: What are Sweden's church elections and how do they work?

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+

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Interest rate cuts, why the government is pleased with its 'paradigm shift' on immigration, why gangs in Denmark are recruiting young Swedes for violent attacks.

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

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

• Sweden's mortgage war heats up as banks race to cut rates
• Sweden's Riksbank slashes interest rate, predicts further cuts this year

• Politics in Sweden: Despite a bump, Sweden's shift on immigration is going smoothly
• For the first time, more Indians are leaving Sweden than arriving

• Sweden and Denmark announce joint response to gang crime escalation

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+

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• For new members: Get Membership+

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre.

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Sweden’s population is shrinking as emigration exceeds immigration for the first time in over 50s. Is this true and if so, should it be cause for celebration? Will higher inflation numbers affect next week's interest rate cut? Why a proposal to pay refugees to return has been summarily rejected by the government’s own inquiry. Finally, we attempt to replicate some of the strange noises Swedes use to express themselves.

James Savage stands in as host this week, and is joined by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange.

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

Shrinking population

For the first time in 50 years, more people are leaving Sweden than moving in

Inside Sweden: Is it really a cause for celebration that immigration is shrinking?

Inflation

Sweden's inflation rises faster than expected

Emigration grants

Risky and best avoided’: Swedish inquiry rejects idea of paying migrants to return

Strange noises Swedes make

Twelve strange noises you can make in Swedish to sound like a local

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Stinky fish, Swedish Olympians, and why Migration Agency says 35,000 kronor is too low a salary for a CEO.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Emma Löfgren and James Savage.

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

• WATCH: The moment US-born Swede Armand Duplantis cemented his place in Olympic history

• VIDEO ARCHIVE: The Local's journalists taste fermented herring for the first time (Facebook Live)
• Why Swedish fermented herring is more fun than crayfish

• IN STATS: Number of work permits issued in Sweden halves in 2024

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+

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In this week's Sweden in Focus we speak to the head of Sweden's main games industry organization about how higher salary requirements for work permit holders risk throttling growth.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by Per Strömbäck, the head of Dataspelsbranschen, or the Swedish Games, an organisation that represents companies in Sweden’s innovative and highly successful video game sector.

The organisation was one of many to voice concerns last year when the government announced its plans to raise salary requirements for foreign work permit holders, a move the Swedish Games Industry feared would hamper growth in a sector that depends heavily on attracting workers from outside Sweden.

READ ALSO:

• How to switch to a career in Sweden's booming gaming industry
• ANALYSIS: How Sweden conquered the gaming world
• ARCHIVE: Is Sweden's gaming industry running out of workers?

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.

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

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