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Leaders Battle It Out In Live Broadcast

The leaders of Sweden's 7 main political parties clashed in a live radio debate Friday, with division lines between the two main political blocks clear in many of the 17 policy areas discussed. [read more]

"Locks and Alarms Replacing Staff"

There is a tendency for locks and alarm systems to replace night time staff at elderly care homes in Sweden, according to the head of the inspection unit at The National Board of Health and Welfare. The comments come in reaction to this week Swedish Television's investigative programme Uppdrag Granskning, which showed a report from a care home in northern Sweden, where 8 men and women with dementia are locked in their rooms at night and the alarm is activated. [read more]

Foreign Policy: Red-Greens vs Alliance

Sweden’s political parties often strive for a united front on foreign policy and emphasis is usually on the country’s neutrality. But ahead of this year’s election the country’s defence strategy and especially the involvement in the UN and Nato lead forces in Afghanistan has divided the political blocks. After a few months of internal disagreement the Red-Green opposition gave in to the Left Party's demands to leave Afghanistan before 2014. If the Red-Greens win this year's election Sweden will start pulling out its 500 soldiers there in 2011 and a complete withdrawal would be accomplished before the summer of 2013. In addition the Red-Greens also want to cut the defence budget by 275 million US dollars. [read more]

Higher Rent For Asylum Seekers

Asylum seekers in some parts of Sweden are required to pay a higher rent compared to other tenants in the same building since they use more electricity and water, according to newspaper Metro. In some cases the landlord has added as much as 13 percent to the rent and according to the newspaper the local Migration authorities have often approved the added charge. [read more]

"The Swedish Model Is Dependent On People Having Jobs"

Swedes go to the polls on September 19th to choose a new government. For the first time both sides of the political spectrum are gathered in two blocks, with red-green and centre-right coalition alternatives for the Swedish voters. Each Friday up until election day Radio Sweden will be speaking to the various party leaders and asking them to present their visions for Sweden. This week it's the turn of Sweden's Social Democratic Party and their party secretary Ibrahim Baylan. [read more]

Returned To Sweden After Eleven Years

A medieval shrine has been returned after it was stolen from a church in northern Sweden eleven years ago, Swedish Radio News reported Friday. After the shrine was stolen it ended up in a public museum in Madrid, Spain, and after years of negotiations the Spanish government has allowed it to be returned. [read more]

Sweden Democrats Get Help From Denmark

The Danish People's Party, Denmark’s third largest political party, has given their support to the xenophobic Sweden Democrats. Their leader Pia Kjaersgaard, will travel to Sweden to take part in an election rally on Saturday, news agency TT reports. Kjaresgaard normally doesn’t appear on political rallies outside of Denmark but according to a party spokesman she made an exception this time since the Sweden Democrats have been "demonised" in this year’s election campaign and needs the help. [read more]

Stalking Should Be a Crime in Itself

The centre-right coalition government wants stalking to become a separate crime and that it should in extreme cases lead to prison. Today the crime is usually classified as illegal threats, violation of domicile or harassment, news agency TT reported Friday. Stalking is when someone pursues and monitors another person in secret. The behaviour can sometimes lead to violence although that is rare. The government hopes that the new proposed law will improve the situation for victims. If a new law is passed the crime would not only lead to a restraining order but a complete ban on contact including text messages, emails and letters. [read more]

Moderates Forced To View Left's Website

Those wishing to know more about the conservative Moderate Party’s youth association on Thursday were instead directed to the Left Party’s website after the Muf website had been hijacked, newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reports. The website was inaccessible for a few hours and Gustaf Stenlund, press secretary for Muf, say the organisation are now considering to report the event to police. But the Left Party didn’t seem too happy about getting new viewers. Press secretary Kristoffer Housset called the prank idiotic. [read more]

Poll Shows Alliance With Own Majority

The centre-right coalition government rose by 2.1 percent in the latest Synovate's poll and the difference between the Alliance and the Red-Green opposition is now 8.3 percent, Swedish Radio News reports. The difference between the two political blocks is big enough to be statistically certain and if the September election mirror these results the Alliance would have their own majority in parliament. The anti-immigration party the Sweden Democrats also rose by 1.3 percent and now has an estimated 6 percent of the votes, well over the 4 percent requirement to win seats in parliament. [read more]