https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Sweden in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed This year, Sweden's National Day is also the day when tough new citizenship rules come into effect, even on applicants who applied years ago under different rules. The Local asked our readers how they're feeling about the day. https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/i-will-never-really-be-a-swedish-citizen-how-readers-feel-about-swedens-national-day Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:33:53 +0200 i-will-never-really-be-a-swedish-citizen-how-readers-feel-about-swedens-national-day A Swedish Migration Agency manager has told Sveriges Radio that citizenship applications lacking proof of Swedish language skills will be put on hold rather than rejected, contradicting earlier statements. https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/swedish-migration-agency-reverses-course-on-pausing-citizenship-applications Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:14:52 +0200 swedish-migration-agency-reverses-course-on-pausing-citizenship-applications If you're planning on heading out to a National Day celebration in Sweden on June 6th, keep an eye on the weather forecast. https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/forecast-will-it-rain-or-shine-for-swedens-national-day-this-year Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:29:34 +0200 forecast-will-it-rain-or-shine-for-swedens-national-day-this-year If your application for Swedish citizenship is at risk of getting rejected because it will be judged on the new rules which didn't exist when you applied, can you withdraw it and get a refund on the 1500 kronor application fee? https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/new-swedish-citizenship-rules-can-you-get-a-refund-on-your-application Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:18:49 +0200 new-swedish-citizenship-rules-can-you-get-a-refund-on-your-application Concerns are mounting at a controversial revision of Europe's air passenger rights, as crunch talks between European Parliament and Council negotiators are expected to continue next week ahead of a June 15th deadline. https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/concerns-raised-over-air-passenger-rights-in-europe-as-crunch-talks-continue Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:20:57 +0200 concerns-raised-over-air-passenger-rights-in-europe-as-crunch-talks-continue This week Sweden's National Day, June 6th, falls on a Saturday, so weekday workers won't get a special day off. But how are shops, Systembolaget and public transport affected? https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/whats-open-and-whats-closed-in-sweden-on-national-day-2 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:33:27 +0200 whats-open-and-whats-closed-in-sweden-on-national-day-2 The Left Party has removed 13 candidates from its party lists for upcoming municipal elections after the newspaper Expressen reported that they had praised terror organisations or their acts. https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/swedens-left-party-removes-local-candidates-who-praised-terrorist-group Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:18:35 +0200 swedens-left-party-removes-local-candidates-who-praised-terrorist-group Left Party removes candidates who praised terror group, Brazil and Sweden sign letter of intent for Gripen plane purchase, and mixed news on greenhouse gas emissions from Swedish industry. Here's today's news. https://www.thelocal.se/20260605/today-in-sweden-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-friday-230 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:56:46 +0200 today-in-sweden-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-friday-230 In this week's podcast: new citizenship law takes effect, a plan to end Sweden's teen deportations, toddlers who speak better Swedish than you, and Minnesota's Swedish heritage. https://www.thelocal.se/20260604/why-this-years-swedish-national-day-will-be-bittersweet Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:45:01 +0200 why-this-years-swedish-national-day-will-be-bittersweet New salary thresholds aren't the only changes for work permit holders in Sweden that began on June 1st: the changed law also includes expanded possibilities for work permits to be denied because of problems linked to the employer. What problems count? https://www.thelocal.se/20260604/could-your-swedish-work-permit-be-denied-for-employer-deficiencies Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:14:14 +0200 could-your-swedish-work-permit-be-denied-for-employer-deficiencies Swedish national day is celebrated on June 6th, which lands on a Saturday this year. Local municipalities hold events to welcome new Swedish citizens, so if you're in a celebratory mood this year, where are the best events to attend? https://www.thelocal.se/20260604/where-can-you-celebrate-swedens-national-day-on-june-6th Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:53:20 +0200 where-can-you-celebrate-swedens-national-day-on-june-6th The number of accidents involving electric scooters increased sharply last year, according to recent statistics from the Swedish Transport Agency. It is often young people involved in the accidents, and their injuries are often serious. https://www.thelocal.se/20260604/sweden-sees-big-increase-in-serious-electric-scooter-accidents Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:40:01 +0200 sweden-sees-big-increase-in-serious-electric-scooter-accidents The Social Democrats, Left Party, and the Green Party would get their own majority if there were an election today, meaning they would not even need support of the economically liberal Centre Party, according to a new poll. https://www.thelocal.se/20260604/new-poll-from-statistics-sweden-gives-red-green-parties-own-majority Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:53:54 +0200 new-poll-from-statistics-sweden-gives-red-green-parties-own-majority Sweden delays EU tobacco law over snus, details of former Sweden Democrat MP child pornography offence suspicions emerge, and a sharp increase in electric scooter accidents – mostly involving young people. Here's today's news. https://www.thelocal.se/20260604/today-in-sweden-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-thursday-247 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:45:52 +0200 today-in-sweden-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-thursday-247 Almost half of European small and medium companies struggle to find workers with the skills they need but recruitment outside the EU remains “limited” and “too difficult”, a recent Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission had shown. https://www.thelocal.se/20260603/how-companies-in-europe-are-struggling-to-recruit-workers-from-outside-the-eu Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:49:22 +0200 how-companies-in-europe-are-struggling-to-recruit-workers-from-outside-the-eu The Public Health Agency of Sweden has released the results of a survey which shows that around half of Swedes are satisfied with their sex lives, although there were variations based on age and gender. https://www.thelocal.se/20260603/half-of-swedes-are-satisfied-with-their-sex-lives-health-body-says Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:40:48 +0200 half-of-swedes-are-satisfied-with-their-sex-lives-health-body-says Sweden's National Day is celebrated on June 6th, which this year is also the day when new, much stricter, rules for Swedish citizenship will come into effect – even on pending applications. So we want to know: do you feel differently about the day this year? https://www.thelocal.se/20260603/tell-us-how-do-you-feel-about-swedens-national-day-this-year Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:16:25 +0200 tell-us-how-do-you-feel-about-swedens-national-day-this-year In the parliamentary debate ahead of the vote on citizenship, the Sweden Democrat immigration spokesperson Ludvig Aspling said that applicants would be able to pause their case, giving them time to take the necessary exams. Is this true? https://www.thelocal.se/20260603/fact-check-is-it-possible-to-pause-swedish-citizenship-applications Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:58 +0200 fact-check-is-it-possible-to-pause-swedish-citizenship-applications House speaker Andreas Norlén has denied the Green Party's request to have an emergency revote on transitional rules for Swedish citizenship be brought to parliament, the party's group leader has told The Local. https://www.thelocal.se/20260603/swedens-house-speaker-says-no-to-emergency-motion-on-transitional-rules Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:44:41 +0200 swedens-house-speaker-says-no-to-emergency-motion-on-transitional-rules Michael Rubbestad, one of the two MPs the Sweden Democrats sent in to block transitional rules for citizenship on April 29th, has been suspended from the party after resigning from all his assignments. https://www.thelocal.se/20260603/citizenship-scandal-sweden-democrat-mp-quits-over-child-pornography-probe Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:33:25 +0200 citizenship-scandal-sweden-democrat-mp-quits-over-child-pornography-probe