Riksdag

The following articles have been tagged with "Riksdag":

Dissident demo over Iran Interpol listing

Politics: 28 Jan 10
Ten Iranian-born Swedes plan to stage a protest outside the Riksdag on Thursday in a bid to have the Swedish government help get their names removed from an Interpol wanted list. READ »

Sweden reacts with joy and caution to Saab sale

National: 27 Jan 10
Unbridled enthusiasm and cautious optimism, along with a dash of outright scepticism, marked the editorial pages of Swedish newspapers on Wednesday in reaction to news of Saab Automobile’s sale to Spyker Cars. READ »

Sweden shifts priorities for resettling UN refugees

National: 21 Jan 10
Sweden plans to give priority to refugees from Somalia and Eritrea, rather than Iraq, in its efforts to resettle an estimated 1,700 to 1,900 United Nations (UN) refugees this year. READ »

Swedes positive about immigration: poll

National: 27 Dec 09
A majority of the Swedish population is positive about immigration, according to a new Sifo opinion poll. Members of the Left Party were the most positive, while Sweden Democrats were the most negative. READ »

MP makes indecent Christmas party proposal

Politics: 18 Dec 09
Social Democrat member of parliament Per Svedberg awoke shamefaced this week after making lewd advances in a state of undress to a female colleague at a Riksdag Christmas bash. READ »

More Swedes favour euro over krona: poll

National: 15 Dec 09
A majority of Swedes would favour switching from the krona to the euro if a referendum on whether Sweden should adopt the common European currency were held today, a new poll shows. READ »

Opposition extends poll lead to achieve majority

Politics: 13 Dec 09
Sweden’s three centre-left opposition political parties have enough voter support to form their own majority, according to a new poll, which also shows the far-right Sweden Democrats with enough support to gain a spot in the Riksdag. READ »

China's BAIC in deal to buy parts of Saab: report

Business & Money: 13 Dec 09
Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. of China has inked a preliminary deal for the acquisition of parts of Saab Automobile, according to media reports. READ »

Riksdag sets tougher limits for sick benefits

Business & Money: 10 Dec 09
The Swedish parliament on Wednesday passed controversial new limits on sickness benefits designed to get more people back into the workforce. READ »

Sweden Democrats score five percent in major poll

Politics: 10 Dec 09
The far-right Sweden Democrat party enjoys the support of 5.1 percent of the electorate, according to a major new survey from Statistics Sweden. READ »

Top feminist takes political gamble on Swedish reality TV

Politics: 3 Dec 09
Gudrun Schyman, spokeswoman for the Feminist Initiative (FI) political party, hopes participating in the Let’s Dance reality television show will help her waltz right into the Swedish parliament. READ »

Sweden gives green light to controversial wolf hunt

National: 3 Dec 09
Hunters in Sweden will be allowed to take aim at wolves for the first time in 45 years following a Riksdag decision to control the predators’ population, wildlife officials said on Wednesday. READ »

Dutch luxury carmaker confirms interest in Saab

National: 2 Dec 09
A second niche luxury sports carmaker, Spyker, has confirmed it is interested in buying Saab Automobile. READ »

Voters continue to flee Social Democrats: poll

Politics: 24 Nov 09
Support for the Social Democrats continues to slide, having now dipped below 30 percent, according to a new poll. READ »

November in Sweden: Shoes at the door for dinner party season

Lifestyle: 23 Nov 09
The Year in Sweden - November: Journalist Kim Loughran sketches a month by month account of the country he has called home ever since his accidental migration in 1966. READ »

Malmström Sweden's new EU commissioner

Politics: 17 Nov 09
Cecilia Malmström, currently Sweden's EU affairs minister, has been nominated as the successor to the country's outgoing EU commissioner, Margot Wallström. READ »

Vattenfall to sell Swedish power grid: report

Business & Money: 11 Nov 09
Swedish state-owned power company Vattenfall wants to sell its Swedish electricity network to bring in funds for investment in nuclear power in Britain. READ »

Social Democrats slam Nord Stream approval

Business & Money: 6 Nov 09
Sweden’s decision to allow the Russian-led Nord Stream gas pipeline to pass through its territorial waters has prompted a scathing response from the political opposition. READ »

Red-greens and centre- right in dead heat: poll

Politics: 4 Nov 09
Support for Sweden’s two main political blocs is about equal, according to a new poll, which also shows the far-right Sweden Democrats with enough support to gain a seat in the Riksdag. READ »

Wallström: EU president 'should be a woman'

Politics: 27 Oct 09
Amid discussions by EU foreign ministers about the need for strong leadership, Swedish EU commissioner Margot Wallström has called for the appointment of a woman to serve as EU president. READ »

Far-right 'no threat' to red-green cooperation

Politics: 20 Oct 09
Left Party leader Lars Ohly on Tuesday changed his stance regarding pre-election cooperation with other parties on the left, emphasizing that the far-right Sweden Democrats would never threaten to split the nascent red-green partnership. READ »

Sweden Democrat leader reported for 'hate speech'

Politics: 20 Oct 09
An opinion piece by Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson in which he labels Muslims a major threat has been reported to Sweden's highest legal official by the Centre Against Racism. READ »

Dole drops Bananas!* lawsuit

Business & Money: 15 Oct 09
Dole Foods was withdrawn its lawsuit against Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten over a documentary film which the company claimed contained falsehoods which harmed the US food giant. READ »

Sweden passes divisive wiretapping law

Politics: 14 Oct 09
An amended version of Sweden's controversial new signals intelligence law was passed in the Riksdag on Wednesday, with 158 members voting in favour and 153 against, while one member abstained from voting. READ »

Bodström under fire for missed Riksdag votes

Politics: 12 Oct 09
Former Social Democratic justice minister Thomas Bodström has been accused of abandoning his duties as a member of the Riksdag in favour of high paying engagements as a trial attorney. READ »

SVT news 'favours the left': Moderate MPs

National: 8 Oct 09
Two Moderate Riksdag members have proposed setting up a body to monitor news coverage by Sveriges Television (SVT) in order to correct what they see as a left-leaning bias at the state broadcaster. READ »

Swedish MPs back filmmaker's battle with US food giant

National: 1 Oct 09
Several members of Sweden’s parliament expressed their support on Thursday for a Swedish-made documentary film that is the target of a lawsuit by Dole Foods. READ »

Swedish parliament behind Wikipedia celebrity smears

Science & Technology: 22 Sep 09
Actor George Clooney is a "communist amateur" and Swedish actress and comedian Nour El-Refai is a "feminist bitch", according to someone, or several people, using computers traced to the Riksdag. READ »

Budget bill sees Sweden shedding more jobs

Business & Money: 21 Sep 09
Sweden's unemployment will climb above 11 percent, according to the 2010 budget bill presented by the government to the Riksdag on Monday, requiring measures focused on job creation and jump-starting growth. READ »

Reinfeldt calls for end to banks' bonus culture

Business & Money: 16 Sep 09
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt took aim at bonuses common at large banks when he opened the Swedish parliament on Tuesday, saying big bonuses "must come to an end". READ »

Woman barred from getting coat of arms tattoo

Society: 9 Sep 09
A 19-year-old woman from Sölvesborg in southern Sweden has had her request for permission to get a tattoo of the national coat of arms turned down by a chief heraldist at the National Archives. READ »

Swedish politician mulls Thai bows to counter swine flu

Politics: 8 Sep 09
A Swedish politician is proposing a novel measure to prevent the spread of swine flu - the introduction of traditional Thai greetings in an effort to reduce direct contact. READ »

September in Sweden: Forest foods, politicians return, birds leave

Lifestyle: 3 Sep 09
The Year in Sweden - September: Journalist Kim Loughran sketches a month by month account of the country he has called home ever since his accidental migration in 1966. READ »

Sweden Democrats gain in new voter poll

Politics: 23 Aug 09
Sweden’s centre-left opposition parties maintain a slight lead over the governing Alliance parties, while the far-right Sweden Democrats have enough support to gain a seat in the Riksdag, according to a new poll. READ »

Summer Rail Destinations: Stockholm

Travel: 11 Aug 09
The antiquity of Gamla Stan, the forests of Djurgården, the cliffs of Södermalm and of course the surrounding blue sea: all these elements combine to help make Stockholm one of the world’s most beautiful cities. READ »

Man claims post-mortem payment for services rendered

Society: 2 Aug 09
A man from Dalarna has claimed almost a million kronor ($140,000) for unpaid services rendered over 15 years to a now deceased woman. READ »

Pirates close in on Riksdag: poll

Politics: 19 Jul 09
The Pirate Party and the far-right Sweden Democrats are on course for seats in the Riksdag according to a new poll published on Sunday. READ »

Sweden Democrats close in on back-door Riksdag entry: poll

Politics: 17 Jul 09
The far-right Sweden Democrats need just 8,000 more votes to gain a spot in the Riksdag, according to a new poll. READ »

Praise for Sweden's development aid

Business & Money: 9 Jul 09
Sweden’s development aid policies received generally high marks in a review published on Thursday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). READ »

Outrage over 14-year- old's nipple piercing

Society: 8 Jul 09
The mother of a Swedish teenager is fuming at the ease with which her daughter was able to get her nipple pierced, sparking calls for the introduction of age limits on piercing in Sweden. READ »

Swedish arms maker battles for lost contract

Politics: 8 Jul 09
Controversy is mounting following the Swedish military’s recent decision to pass over a local supplier of armoured vehicles in favour of a Finnish company, a move resulting in major job losses for Swedish firm Hägglunds. READ »

Moderates lose as Green Party gains: poll

Politics: 26 Jun 09
Support for the Moderate Party dropped significantly in June, while Sweden’s Green Party reached heights not seen since the 2006 Riksdag elections, a new poll shows. READ »

Kids registered illegally at Riksdag homes

Politics: 23 Jun 09
Although against regulations, members of the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) have allowed their children to register a few of the Parliament's apartments as their permanent address. READ »

Minister proposes ankle bracelets for young criminals

National: 22 Jun 09
Sweden’s justice minister says she’s open to monitoring young offenders with ankle bracelets rather than keeping them locked up. READ »

Feminist politician equates Pirate Party supporters with rapists

Politics: 17 Jun 09
A blog post comparing file sharing advocates to rapists has caused a backlash for the feminist member of the Riksdag who authored the entry. READ »

Krantz named as higher education minister

Politics: 17 Jun 09
Liberal Party Riksdag member Tobias Krantz will take over as Sweden’s Minister for Higher Education and Research, the Swedish government announced on Wednesday. READ »

Far-right climbs over pirates in May poll

Politics: 17 Jun 09
Despite its recent success in the European Parliament elections, the Pirate Party would garner fewer votes than the far-right Sweden Democrats if a general election were held today, a new poll shows. READ »

Ex-member arrested in Riksdag chamber

Politics: 17 Jun 09
Green Party politician Ewa Larsson, a former member of parliament who currently sits on the board of the Stockholm County police department, was arrested in the Riksdag on Tuesday. READ »

Abba great's donation to boost feminists' EU bid

Politics: 6 Jun 09
Former Abba star Benny Andersson has given one million kronor ($128,000) to ensure that Swedish voters can vote for Gudrun Schyman’s feminist political party in Sunday's EU parliamentary elections. READ »

Riksdag approves tougher prison sentences for murder

Society: 14 May 09
The Riksdag on Thursday endorsed changes to Sweden’s sentencing rules which toughen the country’s penalties for murder and other serious crimes. READ »

Call for probe into Sweden-CIA terror links

Politics: 8 May 09
Two prominent Left Party politicians are calling for Sweden to set up an independent truth commission to look into how Sweden cooperated with the United States during the war on terror. READ »

'Curfews and police' can curb Rosengård fires

National: 7 May 09
A prominent Liberal Party Riksdag member on Wednesday called for targeted curfews and more police in Malmö’s Rosengård neighbourhood just hours before a communal refuse facility in the area burned to the ground. READ »

The Local’s guide to voting in the 2009 EU Parliament elections

Analysis & Opinion: 6 May 09
Welcome to The Local’s Essential Guide to Voting in the 2009 European Parliamentary Elections. READ »

New law sees Swedish web traffic plunge

Science & Technology: 30 Apr 09
A month into life under tougher anti-internet piracy measures, new statistics suggest that Swedes have abandoned their previous enthusiasm for internet file sharing. READ »

'Make conscription mandatory for women': Social Democrats

Politics: 28 Apr 09
The Social Democrats want make it mandatory for Swedish women to register for military conscription, rather than allowing them to do so voluntarily. READ »

Uproar over rumoured NY consulate closure

Society: 22 Apr 09
Reports that Sweden plans to close down its consulate-general in New York City have sparked an outpouring of concern from business leaders and New York-based Swedes. READ »

Mugabe guard roughs up Riksdag member

Politics: 15 Apr 09
A Swedish parliamentarian’s decision to snap a couple of pictures of Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe did not sit well with the president’s bodyguards. READ »

No ban on mobile billboards for Stockholm strip clubs

Society: 27 Mar 09
Sweden’s parliament has chosen not to act to stop Stockholm-area strip clubs from driving mobile billboards around the streets of the country’s capital. READ »

Swedish MP to Pope: Ditch fundamentalism

Politics: 26 Mar 09
Prominent feminist politician Birgitta Ohlsson is demanding that the Swedish government launch a formal protest with the Vatican over the “religious fundamentalism” of Pope Benedict XVI. READ »

Cop fined for outing child sex offender

National: 26 Mar 09
A Swedish police officer who blew the whistle on a convicted paedophile’s plans to start a youth education centre has himself been fined for defamation. READ »

'No bonuses at state-owned companies'

Business & Money: 24 Mar 09
The Swedish government has said it wants to end bonuses and variable compensation for executives at state-owned companies. READ »

Record high voter confidence for Reinfeldt: poll

Politics: 18 Mar 09
Confidence in Fredrik Reinfeldt has climbed by more than 10 percentage points in the last 12 months, with a record high 52 percent of voters supporting the Swedish prime minister. READ »

'Sweden doesn't need more universities': Leijonborg

Education: 13 Mar 09
The government has said it plans to reject applications from Swedish colleges (högskolor) interested in upgrading their status to full-fledged universities. READ »

Outrage over politican's high-priced home rental

Society: 5 Mar 09
A Social Democratic politician and former Swedish reality TV star has sparked a backlash over plans to charge what many characterized as exorbitant fees for the rental of two separate properties. READ »

The Pirate Bay's Sunde to join Sweden's Green Party

Politics: 4 Mar 09
Peter Sunde, one of the four men charged in The Pirate Bay trial, has announced that he is becoming a member of Sweden’s Green Party. READ »

Proposal to reform Sweden's student loan system

Education: 26 Feb 09
A special parliamentary committee is expected to propose on Thursday that Sweden trim the standard number of years students can access publicly funded aid for higher education. READ »

A Svensson in the palace? Pass the smelling salts

Analysis & Opinion: 26 Feb 09
The engagement of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling has underlined, rather surprisingly, that Sweden is still a society that divides along class lines, writes The Local's James Savage. READ »

Swedish parliament passes copyright bill

Politics: 25 Feb 09
As expected, the Riksdag passed a controversial new measure on Wednesday designed to make it easier to investigate suspected cases of illegal file sharing. READ »

Agencies slam FRA-law revisions

National: 24 Feb 09
Changes to Sweden’s wiretapping law have been met with stinging criticism in a new round of comments by two government agencies. READ »

Nuder to leave Riksdag

Politics: 23 Feb 09
Pär Nuder, a prominent Social Democrat and former finance minister, has announced he won’t seek re-election to the Riksdag in 2010. READ »

Swedes abandon political parties in droves

Politics: 20 Feb 09
Sweden’s political parties continue to shed members, as parties on the right and the left together saw thousands drop from their membership rolls in 2008. READ »

Sweden's air force 'can't send secret messages'

Politics: 20 Feb 09
A prominent Riksdag member has expressed outrage upon learning that Sweden's new Jas Gripen fighter jets can’t receive encrypted communications. READ »

Riksdag to hear from art school head over vandalism video

Society: 20 Feb 09
The Riksdag’s education committee said on Thursday it plans to call in the head of Sweden's University College of Arts, Craft and Design in the wake of a controversial art project. READ »

Moderates want tougher immigration rules

Politics: 17 Feb 09
Naturalized Swedes who received their citizenship under false pretenses could have their Swedish passports revoked, according Migration Minister Tobias Billström. READ »

Income gap widening in Sweden: study

Society: 4 Feb 09
Top managers from the Swedish business world earn 50 times as much as a common labourer, according to a new study carried out by one of the country’s largest labour organizations. READ »

Outrage over language ban proposal

Education: 2 Feb 09
Elementary students in Sweden with foreign backgrounds should no longer be allowed to study maths in their native languages, according to a Liberal Party (Folkpartiet) working group. READ »

Military offers proposal on defence cuts

Politics: 30 Jan 09
Sweden’s top military commander on Friday handed over to the government a lengthy report detailing a range of proposed reductions to the country’s armed forces. READ »

Sweden offers ships to fend off pirates near Somalia

Politics: 29 Jan 09
Sweden plans to send naval vessels to assist an EU force protecting humanitarian aid from pirates off the coast of Somalia, pending approval by the Riksdag. READ »

A royal mess: Why Sweden can’t have its own Obama

Analysis & Opinion: 27 Jan 09
At a time when the United States has just elected its first black president, Noel McCarthy wishes Sweden would reconsider its constitution in order to enable greater diversity when choosing a head of state. READ »

Most Swedish pastors willing to wed gay couples

Society: 23 Jan 09
Nearly seven in ten pastors in the Church of Sweden are open to performing marriage ceremonies for gay couples in churches. READ »

Bodström reported over CIA terror deportations

National: 19 Jan 09
Former justice minister Thomas Bodström and former prime minister Göran Persson have been reported to the Riksdag's constitutional committee after new details emerged over the expulsion of two terror suspects from Sweden to Egypt in 2001. READ »

Sweden pressured in 2001 terror case: report

National: 19 Jan 09
Fresh details have surfaced about the deportation of two terror suspects from Sweden to Egypt in December 2001, including allegations of US pressure and the role of former foreign minister Anna Lindh, following the release a new book on Monday. READ »

'Boycott Israel in Davis Cup': Social Democrat

Sport: 13 Jan 09
A prominent member of Sweden's largest political party likened Israel to apartheid South Africa and Nazi Germany in calling for a boycott of Sweden’s upcoming Davis Cup tennis match against the Middle Eastern country. READ »

Car industry aid sparks heated debate

National: 18 Dec 08
The Social Democrats’ economic political spokesperson Tomas Eneroth slammed the government’s reaction to the problems plaguing the Swedish auto industry during a special debate in the Riksdag on Thursday. READ »

Riksbank urges Sweden to ditch 50 öre coin

Business & Money: 18 Dec 08
The Riksbank wants Sweden to ditch the 50 öre coin, currently the smallest denomination of the country’s currency. READ »

Opposition parties to build coalition

Politics: 7 Dec 08
Sweden’s opposition political parties have announces plans to build a united coalition government following the 2010 Riksdag elections. READ »

'Bring back public smoking in Sweden': politician

Society: 5 Dec 08
A member of the Swedish parliament is calling for the country’s ban on smoking in restaurants and pubs to be overturned. READ »

Sweden announces major jobs package

Politics: 5 Dec 08
The Swedish government announced on Friday it plans to spend 23 billion kronor ($2.8 billion) over the next three years on “employment and retraining” measures in an attempt to minimize the effects of the weak economy. READ »

Government presents controversial file sharing bill

Politics: 5 Dec 08
Sweden’s government on Thursday formally presented a legislative proposal for a new file sharing law designed to make it easier to hunt down people who illegally download copyrighted material. READ »

Politician quits over refugee threats

Politics: 2 Dec 08
A politician in southern Sweden is leaving his post on a local council after receiving numerous threats for suggesting that the municipality accept three unaccompanied child refugees. READ »

Would you ever consider becoming a Swedish citizen?

Analysis & Opinion: 26 Nov 08
Ever week we ask a panel of readers to give their views on a particular issue concerning the international community. This week we wonder whether the panelists are keen to get their hands on a Swedish passport. READ »

Justice minister offers concessions on file sharing law

Politics: 21 Nov 08
The Swedish government has indicated it plans to move forward with a controversial anti-file sharing law but that the proposal will be altered in an attempt to appease some of the measure’s many critics. READ »

Riksdag ratifies EU's Lisbon treaty

Politics: 21 Nov 08
The Riksdag voted late Thursday night to ratify the European Union's Lisbon reform treaty, making Sweden the 25th of the 27 EU members to approve the text. READ »

'Do more to encourage talented students': Moderates

Education: 19 Nov 08
Schools need to do a better job of encouraging and taking responsibility for talented students, according to Moderate Party working group. READ »

Borg tops in Sweden power rankings

National: 14 Nov 08
Finance minister Anders Borg has surpassed prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt as Sweden’s most influential powerbroker, according to a new ranking. READ »

Lines drawn in battle over file sharing bill

Politics: 14 Nov 08
Debate in Sweden is growing ever hotter over a proposed law that will make it easier for law enforcement to track down those suspected of illegally downloading copyrighted material from the internet. READ »

Sweden to issue more debt as Riksbank stresses crisis's depth

Business & Money: 13 Nov 08
The Swedish government on Thursday asked the National Debt Office to sell as much as 200 billion kronor ($25 billion) in T-bills next year, as the head of the central bank emphasized the severity of the current financial crisis. READ »