Today in Sweden: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Swedish opposition leader slams PM's 'uniquely divisive' citizenship statement, children's organisation warns of calls to prepare for war, and luxury watch found in Stockholm may be cheap replica. Here's the latest news.
Swedish opposition leader slams PM over ‘uniquely divisive statement’
Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson criticised Moderate Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson after he in a speech at the annual Folk och Försvar defence conference linked Swedish citizenship to the country’s military defence.
“We, too, must begin to discuss the expectations that come with Swedish citizenship. Ultimately, it is about defending Sweden, our values and our way of life – with weapons in hand and our lives on the line. Citizenship is not a travel document,” he said, and elaborated on his comments in a follow-up interview with Svenska Dagbladet.
“His message was uniquely divisive,” Swedish news agency TT quoted Andersson as saying.
“What we need in Sweden now is cohesion, trust, a high degree of awareness, but also of course a strong will to defend. That kind of divisive statement is taking the country in exactly the opposite direction.”
The government replied to the criticism through a written statement from Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who said a former prime minister such as Andersson should refrain from “bad faith misinterpretations and political mud wrestling” in such a serious situation.
He also said Andersson was playing up a “false contradiction”.
“Ulf Kristersson hasn’t made the slightest hint that new citizens would have a lower willingness to defend themselves,” said Bohlin.
Swedish vocabulary: a hint – en antydan
Swedish children's organisation warns of calls to prepare for war
Swedish organisation Bris – Children’s Rights in Society – reports that more children than usual have been calling their helpline number 116 111, after senior government ministers and the military warned that every person in Sweden should “prepare for war”.
The comments appeared to warn of the theoretical possibility – the global security situation has deteriorated in recent years and Sweden’s two centuries of peace does not automatically make it immune to war – rather than being meant as a warning of an imminent threat of an invasion, but they got many people in the country spooked, including children, said Bris representatives.
“Many maybe think that this information hasn’t reached children, but that’s completely wrong – it’s all over TikTok and children are definitely aware of these statements,” Bris secretary-general Magnus Jägerskog told TT.
“The question children ask themselves when they get in touch with us is ‘how? What am I supposed to do?’. I would have liked to see information aimed at children issued in parallel with these statements,” he added.
Swedish vocabulary: children – barn
‘Luxury watch’ found in Stockholm may be cheap copy
Stockholm police last week appealed for the owner of a luxury watch, said to be worth more than half a million kronor, which had been found on a street in central Stockholm on New Year’s Day.
Police said it was a genuine Audemars Piguet watch, a luxury brand, but after several watch experts claimed that it looked more like a replica, worth no more than a few hundred kronor, they are now investigating whether it actually is genuine, reports local newspaper Mitti.
Mikael Wallhagen, a watch expert for SVT programme Antikrundan (the Swedish version of BBC programme Antiques Roadshow), said he could spot “many red flags just at an initial glance”.
Swedish vocabulary: a luxury watch – en lyxklocka
Why Swedish royals won’t attend Danish succession
The Swedish royal family won’t attend when Denmark’s Queen Margrethe hands over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik, on Sunday – a historic event after her 52 years as reigning queen.
But according to the Royal Court, there’s nothing eyebrow-raising about their absence.
“According to the tradition in our country, accession to the throne is a national matter. That’s why no other Royal Courts have been invited,” royal spokesperson Margareta Thorgren told TT.
Queen Margrethe’s decision to step down will leave Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf as the world’s longest still reigning monarch with his 51 years on the throne. But her retirement has reignited the debate about whether he should follow her move and let Crown Princess Victoria take his place.
Swedish vocabulary: accession to the throne – tillträde till tronen
Comments
See Also
Swedish opposition leader slams PM over ‘uniquely divisive statement’
Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson criticised Moderate Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson after he in a speech at the annual Folk och Försvar defence conference linked Swedish citizenship to the country’s military defence.
“We, too, must begin to discuss the expectations that come with Swedish citizenship. Ultimately, it is about defending Sweden, our values and our way of life – with weapons in hand and our lives on the line. Citizenship is not a travel document,” he said, and elaborated on his comments in a follow-up interview with Svenska Dagbladet.
“His message was uniquely divisive,” Swedish news agency TT quoted Andersson as saying.
“What we need in Sweden now is cohesion, trust, a high degree of awareness, but also of course a strong will to defend. That kind of divisive statement is taking the country in exactly the opposite direction.”
The government replied to the criticism through a written statement from Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who said a former prime minister such as Andersson should refrain from “bad faith misinterpretations and political mud wrestling” in such a serious situation.
He also said Andersson was playing up a “false contradiction”.
“Ulf Kristersson hasn’t made the slightest hint that new citizens would have a lower willingness to defend themselves,” said Bohlin.
Swedish vocabulary: a hint – en antydan
Swedish children's organisation warns of calls to prepare for war
Swedish organisation Bris – Children’s Rights in Society – reports that more children than usual have been calling their helpline number 116 111, after senior government ministers and the military warned that every person in Sweden should “prepare for war”.
The comments appeared to warn of the theoretical possibility – the global security situation has deteriorated in recent years and Sweden’s two centuries of peace does not automatically make it immune to war – rather than being meant as a warning of an imminent threat of an invasion, but they got many people in the country spooked, including children, said Bris representatives.
“Many maybe think that this information hasn’t reached children, but that’s completely wrong – it’s all over TikTok and children are definitely aware of these statements,” Bris secretary-general Magnus Jägerskog told TT.
“The question children ask themselves when they get in touch with us is ‘how? What am I supposed to do?’. I would have liked to see information aimed at children issued in parallel with these statements,” he added.
Swedish vocabulary: children – barn
‘Luxury watch’ found in Stockholm may be cheap copy
Stockholm police last week appealed for the owner of a luxury watch, said to be worth more than half a million kronor, which had been found on a street in central Stockholm on New Year’s Day.
Police said it was a genuine Audemars Piguet watch, a luxury brand, but after several watch experts claimed that it looked more like a replica, worth no more than a few hundred kronor, they are now investigating whether it actually is genuine, reports local newspaper Mitti.
Mikael Wallhagen, a watch expert for SVT programme Antikrundan (the Swedish version of BBC programme Antiques Roadshow), said he could spot “many red flags just at an initial glance”.
Swedish vocabulary: a luxury watch – en lyxklocka
Why Swedish royals won’t attend Danish succession
The Swedish royal family won’t attend when Denmark’s Queen Margrethe hands over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik, on Sunday – a historic event after her 52 years as reigning queen.
But according to the Royal Court, there’s nothing eyebrow-raising about their absence.
“According to the tradition in our country, accession to the throne is a national matter. That’s why no other Royal Courts have been invited,” royal spokesperson Margareta Thorgren told TT.
Queen Margrethe’s decision to step down will leave Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf as the world’s longest still reigning monarch with his 51 years on the throne. But her retirement has reignited the debate about whether he should follow her move and let Crown Princess Victoria take his place.
Swedish vocabulary: accession to the throne – tillträde till tronen
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.