Politics - DailySweden

THURSDAY 20 AUGUST· STOCKHOLM · THE DAY IN 5 STORIES

DailySweden view

Sweden’s ministers keep full pay while sick as the government defends the sick-day penalty

4 min read

An archival portrait of Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari.

Essential Politics

Magdalena Andersson during a visit to Helsinki in March 2022.

Politics

Andersson rejects review of existing permanent residence permits

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson speaks at Långholmen in Stockholm in 2024.

Politics

Åkesson says he wants to be prime minister in 2030

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson

News

Kristersson rejects Jomshof's call to abandon Islam

Latest in Politics

A fuel nozzle at a petrol station in Helsingborg, Sweden.

Politics

Tidö parties split over extending fuel-tax cut

Amanda Lind speaks at Almedalen Week in Visby in June 2026.

Politics

Green Party wants 35-hour week as step to four days

Three voters choose ballot papers behind privacy screens at a Swedish polling station in September 2022.

Politics

Poll gives opposition 10-point lead as Centre Party hits 8%

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson speaking at Långholmen in Stockholm in 2024.

Politics

Jimmie Åkesson: ‘I would like to spend exactly zero kronor on integration’

Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, speaks with a headset microphone at Almedalen Week in June 2026.

Politics

Jimmie Åkesson still wants existing permanent residence permits revoked

Daniel Helldén, now co-leader of Sweden’s Green Party, speaks into a handheld microphone at an outdoor event in 2018.

Politics

Daniel Helldén says Sweden’s billionaires should pay more tax

The eastern facade of the Swedish Parliament building in Stockholm behind trimmed hedges.

Power & Consequence

Sweden's broader gang-crime rule can double sentences

Johan Forssell outdoors at the opening of Sweden's parliamentary year in September 2018.

Politics

Swedish right seizes on Ceuta migrant crossing to advance anti-immigration rhetoric

Carl Bildt speaks during a World Economic Forum session in Davos in January 2010.

Politics

Bildt points to Morocco after Ceuta mass migrant crossing

Ulf Kristersson at a European Council summit in Brussels in December 2022.

Politics

Sweden demands EU crisis talks but rejects migrant relocation

A green and white Swedish learner-driver sign attached to a car.

Power & Consequence

Sweden drops mandatory course for learner drivers and supervisors

A close view of the green Arbetsförmedlingen symbol and bilingual agency name on a glass-fronted building.

Politics

Swedish government wants to make firing workers easier

A Swedish police car drives through Stockholm with its emergency lights activated.

Politics

Sweden adopts child-violence strategy to speed police cases

Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson during a visit to Helsinki in March 2022.

Politics

Suspected neo-Nazi attack targets Social Democrats' Sölvesborg office

A teenager sits indoors while using a mobile phone.

Politics

Centre wants parents to override social media age limit from 13

A mother helps her child with handwritten homework at a table.

Politics

Liberals promise 90% VAB in five-part family package

A woman pushes a smiling young man in a wheelchair outside a building.

Politics

Liberals and SD promise 7% rise in personal-assistance payments

An empty classroom with rows of desks and chairs in Tollarp, Sweden.

Education

Sweden sets 2029 start for centrally marked final exams

Syrian refugees with luggage gathered outside Stockholm Central station after arriving in Sweden in September 2015.

Politics

Five parties refuse to lift Sweden’s 900-person refugee quota

A Swedish passport photographed from above.

Politics

Sweden’s citizenship withdrawal plan will pass to next government

The Swedish Migration Agency building in Solna, photographed from outside.

Migration

Bank blocks access to SEK 350,000 return grant after recipient surrenders home

A tractor towing a crop sprayer applies liquid across a field in West Sussex, England

Power & Consequence

Sweden wants ‘forever chemicals’ out of clothes, but farms can keep spraying them

Ebba Busch speaks at Soltorget in central Stockholm on 8 September 2018.

Politics

Ebba Busch: Pragmatist?

Magdalena Andersson poses for a photograph with two members of the public outside the Riksdag in Stockholm in September 2025.

Politics

Magdalena Andersson: Iron Lady

The Kronofogden name and symbol photographed on a translucent glass sign beside a window.

Money

Swedish inquiry proposes easier debt relief and three-year plans

Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar in a formal portrait taken in May 2018.

Politics

Nooshi Dadgostar: Agent Provocateur

Green Party co-leaders Daniel Helldén and Amanda Lind in a side-by-side editorial composite.

Politics

Daniel Helldén and Amanda Lind: A Green Revolution

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at the U.S. Department of State in Washington in March 2024.

Politics

Ulf Kristersson: Fund the Rich

Simona Mohamsson speaking during an interview at Almedalen.

Politics

Simona Mohamsson: Crash Landing

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson speaking at Långholmen in Stockholm in 2024.

Politics

Jimmie Åkesson: From Pariah to Power Broker

Simona Mohamsson speaking during an interview at Almedalen.

Politics

Liberals hit record low after ‘selling out’ to SD

A Swedish flag flying outside the historic Radhus building in Jonkoping.

Politics

New Swedish welfare rule: join work-focused activity or risk losing support

The Försäkringskassan sign on the agency’s main office building in Stockholm.

Politics

Sweden proposes new sick pay and parental benefit rules for self-employed workers

Official head-and-shoulders portrait of Ludvig Aspling against a white background.

Politics

SD Doubles Down: Sweden Has Too Many “Ethnically Foreign” People

Rosenbad, the Swedish government offices in central Stockholm.

Making It

Sweden opens review of CSN income limits and long degrees

The Centre Party's public political tent at Almedalen Week in Visby.

Politics

Centre MEP gets role in EU carbon-market negotiations

Rosenbad, the Swedish government offices in central Stockholm.

Politics

Sweden vows to fight weaker EU carbon market

A white Migrationsverket flag flying outside against green trees.

Politics

Sweden’s opposition parties reject return grants for citizens

Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist in a posed indoor portrait.

Work & labour

C wants SEK 738m shifted from return grants to jobs and integration

Sweden Democrats supporters hold party flags reading 'Heja Jimmie' during Almedalen Week in Visby in July 2014.

Migration

SD: “Sweden has far too many people who are not ethnic Swedes”

An existing section of Route 259, Södertörnsleden, east of Gladö kvarn in 2011.

Power & Consequence

Top court rejects Climate Act challenge to major road project

Offshore wind turbines at the Lillgrund wind farm in the Öresund.

Politics

Tanum Moderate criticises government's Vidar wind approval

The historic Göta Court of Appeal building in Jönköping.

Crime & justice

Appeal court raises former Växjö politician's sentence to four years

People visit the Christian Democrats' public political tent during Almedalen Week in 2023.

Politics

Kiruna Christian Democrat candidate quits after NMR links emerge

People visit the Green Party's public political tent during Almedalen Week in 2023.

Politics

Green Party seeks pause to Google's Torsboda deal

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson speaking at Långholmen in Stockholm in 2024.

DailySweden view

SD’s repatriation proposal puts a price on who counts as Swedish

Danvikshem nursing home beside the water in Stockholm.

Healthcare

Sweden expands national workforce plan to eldercare

Swedish development minister Benjamin Dousa standing outdoors.

World

Sweden adds SEK 1.4 billion to World Bank support for Ukraine

A grocery store aisle in Sweden with packaged food displayed on shelves.

Consumer rights

Sweden orders review of potentially misleading food labels

The Försäkringskassan sign on the agency’s main office building in Stockholm.

Family

Försäkringskassan told to speed support for parents of seriously ill children

A person holding a smartphone with its screen visible.

Health

Sweden orders review of social media's effects on boys

Bridge construction work on national road 27 at Osdal in Sweden.

Transport

Trafikverket told to cut costs on Norrbotniabanan rail project

A large active construction site with cranes and partly completed structures in Malmö.

Housing

Swedish inquiry will test more housing near military sites

A PostNord delivery van parked in Skogås, south of Stockholm.

Politics

Sweden orders review of postal needs during war and crisis

Rosenbad, the Swedish government offices in central Stockholm.

Politics

Sweden proposes environmental penalties up to SEK 5 million

A white Migrationsverket flag flying outside against green trees.

Citizenship

Moderates want domestic-violence convictions to block citizenship

Simona Mohamsson speaking during an interview at Almedalen.

Politics

Centre and Liberals clash over unemployment figures

Centre Party MEP Abir Al-Sahlani standing outdoors.

Politics

Swedish MEP reports Danish colleague over 'go home' remark

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson speaking at Almedalen Week in 2017.

Politics

PFAS pesticide review opens new divide between S and SD

The Swedish Migration Agency office in Solna.

Politics

Tidö parties consider earlier release for people facing expulsion

Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Stockholm.

Politics

Government and opposition split over targeted healthcare grants

Ballot papers laid out for Sweden's 2014 general election.

Politics

Election Authority wants tougher rules as more than 100 parties register

A person holding a smartphone with its screen visible.

Crime & justice

New law requires platforms to remove gang recruitment channels within an hour

A Swedish passport photographed from above.

Citizenship

First Swedish citizenship test will contain around 60 questions

Social Democratic election campaign signs on a street in Malmö.

Politics

Social Democrats will support criminal-responsibility age of 14

Floodwater covering a road beneath a railway in Floby, Sweden.

Politics

Social Democrats propose climate-preparedness package

Rosenbad, the Swedish government offices in central Stockholm.

Politics

Sweden's new security adviser left notebook at NATO summit

Offshore wind turbines at the Lillgrund wind farm in the Öresund.

Climate

Government approves three wind farms but rejects 11 offshore projects

The Centre Party's public political tent at Almedalen Week in Visby.

Politics

Centre Party seeks rejection of criminal justice overhaul

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson speaking at Långholmen in Stockholm in 2024.

Politics

SD wants repatriation grant opened to people who relinquish Swedish citizenship

Entrance to a Swedish government service office with Tax Agency and Enforcement Authority signs

Migration

Six Swedish agencies must report suspected undocumented residents

An electrical substation in Tuntorp, Lysekil Municipality. Energy is one of 11 sectors covered by the resilience bill.

Civil Society

Swedish bill sets resilience duties for 11 critical sectors

Apartment blocks in Södermalm, Stockholm. The bill concerns housing-cooperative homes across Sweden.

Housing

Swedish bill widens grounds to forfeit co-op homes

Exterior of the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm.

Sweden Explained

National Library to make Swedish-Jewish heritage easier to search

The Swedish Migration Agency office in Solna, seen from outside.

Migration

Sweden proposes two-year wait in tighter family-reunification rules

Bridge construction work on national road 27 at Osdal in Sweden.

Transport

Sweden explores public-private projects and a state road company

Customer-service staff working with headsets in a call centre office.

Consumer rights

Swedish proposal would put legal force behind customer-service duties

The Helix forensic psychiatric clinic building in Flemingsberg, Huddinge.

Healthcare

Inquiry will examine state responsibility for forensic psychiatric care

Entrance to the Public Health Agency of Sweden in Solna.

Health

Sweden orders review of generative AI risks for children

Permits & visas

Sweden proposes work permits that follow workers between employers

Stone sculptures and facade details at Stora Nygatan 2B in Stockholm, the Labour Court's address.

Work & labour

Labour Court says employer may end job immediately when worker lacks permit

Integration minister Simona Mohamsson speaking during an interview at Almedalen.

Politics

Swedish inquiry will examine religious radicalisation and institutional infiltration