https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed As it stands right now, a 'Tidö 2' government lacks a mandate, as does the Centre Party's dream 'middle government', and two of the four opposition parties who could form a majority refuse to rule together. If nothing changes, what does this mean for foreigners in Sweden? https://www.thelocal.com/20260914/what-does-swedens-unexpectedly-close-election-result-mean-for-foreigners Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:03:13 +0200 what-does-swedens-unexpectedly-close-election-result-mean-for-foreigners The Social Democrats want to launch a fast-track investigation into residency for people who have lived in the country for a long time in a bid to solve teen deportation and Brexit cases, the party's migration spokesperson has told The Local. https://www.thelocal.com/20260907/we-dont-want-people-who-are-integrated-in-sweden-to-be-forced-to-leave Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:05:14 +0200 we-dont-want-people-who-are-integrated-in-sweden-to-be-forced-to-leave Shima and Bijan left the UK for Sweden seven years ago with their young daughter. If they knew then what they know now about Sweden's approach to family immigration, they say they would never have come. https://www.thelocal.com/20260820/dividing-families-iranian-academics-slam-swedens-medieval-family-immigration-laws Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:58:26 +0200 dividing-families-iranian-academics-slam-swedens-medieval-family-immigration-laws The word "skärpta" – meaning "tighter" or "stricter" – has featured in the names of at least five of the current government's key migration reforms. Here's our list of the main ways rules for foreigners in Sweden have changed since it won power. https://www.thelocal.com/20260818/listed-the-new-migration-rules-that-have-changed-life-in-sweden-for-foreigners Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:32:02 +0200 listed-the-new-migration-rules-that-have-changed-life-in-sweden-for-foreigners Fewer than 100 Swedish citizenship applications – and only 20 through naturalisation – were approved in July, the month after new and stricter citizenship rules came into force. https://www.thelocal.com/20260817/sweden-grants-fewer-than-100-new-citizenships-the-month-after-new-rules-come-into-force Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:47:52 +0200 sweden-grants-fewer-than-100-new-citizenships-the-month-after-new-rules-come-into-force Sweden's first civics test for citizenship was held last Saturday and largely went smoothly, although several examinees complained to The Local that some questions required knowledge and language that was not part of the preparation material. https://www.thelocal.com/20260817/i-got-confused-by-the-language-citizenship-applicants-rate-swedens-first-civics-test Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:29:42 +0200 i-got-confused-by-the-language-citizenship-applicants-rate-swedens-first-civics-test Proof of knowledge of basic Swedish civics, history, geography, and culture will now be required to obtain Swedish citizenship. An official study booklet for the new test is now out. How well do you know the material? https://www.thelocal.com/20260512/quiz-can-you-pass-the-locals-mock-swedish-citizenship-test Tue, 12 May 2026 09:31:50 +0200 quiz-can-you-pass-the-locals-mock-swedish-citizenship-test Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell speaks to The Local's Richard Orange about the personal attacks he's received in his role, and why he thinks immigration will play a significant role in the upcoming election. https://www.thelocal.com/20260630/swedish-migration-minister-one-day-youre-a-nazi-the-next-a-left-wing-activist Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:56:03 +0200 swedish-migration-minister-one-day-youre-a-nazi-the-next-a-left-wing-activist Because of India's ban on dual nationality, Indians generally have to renounce their citizenship if they want to naturalise in Sweden. That said, there is a way to retain residency rights and links to India – even without an Indian passport. https://www.thelocal.com/20240913/how-indians-can-protect-their-residency-rights-in-india-after-becoming-swedish Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:40:49 +0200 how-indians-can-protect-their-residency-rights-in-india-after-becoming-swedish With just days left before Sweden carries out the most radical citizenship reforms in years, an administrative backlog means 100,000 long-term residents are losing the race against time. The Local speaks with some of the applicants who are watching their future plans slip away as the government continues to rewrite immigration rules. https://www.thelocal.com/20260529/its-a-gut-punch-time-running-out-for-100000-applicants-as-swedens-citizenship-deadline-nears Fri, 29 May 2026 06:32:53 +0200 its-a-gut-punch-time-running-out-for-100000-applicants-as-swedens-citizenship-deadline-nears The Green Party is taking an unusual step to get a new vote on citizenship transitional rules to happen in parliament, as the deadline for the imposition of new rules approaches. https://www.thelocal.com/20260529/swedish-greens-make-emergency-bid-to-force-revote-on-transitional-citizenship-rules Fri, 29 May 2026 12:15:43 +0200 swedish-greens-make-emergency-bid-to-force-revote-on-transitional-citizenship-rules The last step before a citizenship application can be approved is the personal appearance at a Migration Agency office. The Local's Becky Waterton had her appointment last week – here's what happened. https://www.thelocal.com/20260518/the-final-hurdle-what-happened-at-my-personal-appearance-for-swedish-citizenship Mon, 18 May 2026 13:23:13 +0200 the-final-hurdle-what-happened-at-my-personal-appearance-for-swedish-citizenship In the first of two votes, the Swedish parliament voted to enable authorities to strip dual citizens of their Swedish citizenship in certain situations. https://www.thelocal.com/20260521/swedish-mps-vote-to-revoke-citizenship-over-crimes-that-harm-vital-interests Thu, 21 May 2026 09:35:56 +0200 swedish-mps-vote-to-revoke-citizenship-over-crimes-that-harm-vital-interests Swedish opposition politicians welcomed an opinion piece from a Sweden Democrat MP in which he apologised for his party's decision to send in two extra MPs to block a motion on transitional citizenship rules. https://www.thelocal.com/20260521/swedish-opposition-welcomes-sweden-democrat-mps-apology-over-citizenship-vote Thu, 21 May 2026 09:50:15 +0200 swedish-opposition-welcomes-sweden-democrat-mps-apology-over-citizenship-vote A Sweden Democrat MP has apologised for his party's decision to send in two extra MPs to block a motion on transitional rules, saying that the party's action had been "wrong" and that principles should never be sacrificed for "short-term parliamentary gains". https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/sweden-democrat-mp-apologises-for-party-manipulating-citizenship-vote Wed, 20 May 2026 12:34:20 +0200 sweden-democrat-mp-apologises-for-party-manipulating-citizenship-vote A former Moderate Party defence minister has told The Local that opposition parties are "quite correct" to accuse the Sweden Democrats of cheating in the vote on transitional rules for citizenship at the end of April. https://www.thelocal.com/20260515/sweden-democrats-cheated-on-citizenship-vote-says-moderate-party-heavyweight Fri, 15 May 2026 15:22:52 +0200 sweden-democrats-cheated-on-citizenship-vote-says-moderate-party-heavyweight Sweden's opposition parties are united on introducing transitional rules for citizenship if they win next September's election. https://www.thelocal.com/20260512/swedish-opposition-promises-citizenship-transition-rules-if-it-wins-election Tue, 12 May 2026 14:35:35 +0200 swedish-opposition-promises-citizenship-transition-rules-if-it-wins-election Another meeting of parliamentary group leaders to discuss the broken-down 'pairing' agreement ended without any solution in place. https://www.thelocal.com/20260507/no-end-in-sight-to-swedens-parliamentary-pairing-chaos-total-deadlock Thu, 07 May 2026 11:47:49 +0200 no-end-in-sight-to-swedens-parliamentary-pairing-chaos-total-deadlock Swedish MPs on the committee in charge of processing immigration laws were set to meet at 10am to discuss the opposition's bid for a new vote on adding transitional provisions to the recently passed citizenship law. https://www.thelocal.com/20260507/swedish-mps-to-discuss-bid-for-revote-on-transitional-citizenship-rules Thu, 07 May 2026 09:06:15 +0200 swedish-mps-to-discuss-bid-for-revote-on-transitional-citizenship-rules At least three out of four opposition parties are demanding that parliament vote once again on the issue of transitional arrangements for the new stricter citizenship rules. The Local asked the parliamentary parties how likely this is to happen. https://www.thelocal.com/20260504/how-likely-is-a-revote-on-transitional-rules-for-swedish-citizenship Mon, 04 May 2026 15:49:46 +0200 how-likely-is-a-revote-on-transitional-rules-for-swedish-citizenship