What's on the agenda for President Macron's visit to Sweden?
French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte arrive in Stockholm on Tuesday for the start of a two-day visit. Here's what's on the agenda.
Macron will be accompanied on his visit by several ministers in his government, by a business delegation, and by representatives from France's parliament, government agencies, and cultural groups.
According to a post by the Swedish embassy in Paris, the aim of the visit is to "further strengthen the broad and unique relationship between Sweden and France", and to "stimulate cooperation in innovation, the green transition and defence".
So what's on the programme?
Tuesday January 30th
The state visit will begin with a welcome ceremony at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, when Macron and King Carl XVI Gustaf will together inspect the bearskin-wearing Grenadier Company of Sweden's Life Guards regiment.
This ceremony will be open to the public and take place in the inner courtyard of the palace, with the national anthems of both Sweden and France played.
The Macrons will then be formally introduced to representatives of the Swedish parliament and the government at a ceremony in the Rikssalen (literally The National Hall), the main ceremonial chamber in the palace.
The Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will then greet the French delegation, after which Macron will hold a press conference in Lovisa Ulrika's dining room in the castle, together with the king.
Lunch
The Macrons will then dine with the King and Queen in the palace, with the rest of the French delegation attending a lunch hosted by Sweden's foreign ministry at the Arvfurstens Palace.
Meeting with speaker of Parliament
After lunch, Macron will go to meet Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Swedish Parliament at the parliament building.
Meeting with prime minister
Macron will then cross over to the Rosenbad Palace where he will meet Ulf Kristersson, Sweden's prime minister, for discussions at which the two are expected to sign a new partnership between their respective countries, followed by a joint press conference.
Rinkebyskolan
After lunch, Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will visit Rinkebyskolan, a school in Rinkeby, a heavily segregated suburb of Stockholm, where they will be met by Lotta Edholm, Sweden's school minister, Stockholm's Social Democrat mayor in charge of schools and education, and the school's headmaster Martin Malmberg.
The two will then meet the school's pupil council, hold a discussion and visit a classroom.
Moderna muséet
Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will visit Stockholm's main museum, Moderna muséet, for an event organised by the Swedish Institute and Institut Français on painting and set design. They will be accompanied by Sweden's culture minister, Parisa Liljestrand.
Roundtable discussion on security politics
After his meeting with the prime minister, Macron and King Carl XVI Gustav will move to the Karlberg Palace in Solna, where they will hold a roundtable with military and security policy experts from Sweden and France on "the future of European security".
The Swedish delegation will be led by Jakob Hallgren, head of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and Robert Egnell, head of the Swedish Defence University. Sweden's defence minister, Pål Jonsson and Sweden's national security advisor Henrik Landerholm will also attend.
Macron will then give a lecture to students at the defence university and other invitees, with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Kristersson also speaking.
Gala Dinner
The Swedish royal couple will then host a gala dinner at the Royal Palace for the French delegation.
Wednesday, January 31st
Sweden-France Business Forum: Accelerating Europe's competitiveness
The day will start at Stockholm's city hall, when both King Carl XVI Gustaf and President Emmanuel Macron take part in a business seminar titled "Accelerating Europe's competitiveness".
Around 200 representatives from French and Swedish companies will take part. Sweden's business minister, Ebba Busch, and Sweden's trade minister, Johan Forsell, will both give speeches.
The forum will focus on green innovation and how to secure the necessary skilled personnel for the future. The event will be followed by a networking lunch.
Arrival at Malmö Airport
The Macrons will then fly with Sweden's king and queen to Malmö airport where they will be met by Skåne's governor, Anneli Hulthén.
European Spallation Source, ESS
They will then drive to the European Spallation Source (ESS), where they will meet Sweden's education minister, Mats Persson, and the ESS's director general Helmut Schober. Sweden's foreign minister, Tobias Billström, is also expected to attend.
France and Sweden are two of the 13 countries funding ESS, which when completed will be the world’s most powerful neutron source, allowing the structure of matter to be studied at a new level of detail.
Alfa Laval
The Macrons will then visit the Swedish engineering company Alfa Laval, where they will be met with the company's chief executive, Tom Erixon, alongside both Billström and Persson.
A memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Sweden and France on nuclear power will then be signed at a special ceremony, with the delegation visiting a factory where Alfa Laval makes technology used in the nuclear industry.
Barnahus
Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will visit Malmö's Barnahus, or Children's House project, where children who are suspected of being abused physically or sexually are given a safe place where they can talk about what has happened to them.
Sweden's minister for Social Affairs, Camilla Waltersson Grönwall, will accompany them on the visit, together with Malmö's mayor for social affairs Sedat Arif.
Friends
Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will then visit the Malmö offices of the anti-bullying charity Friends.
Debate with students at Lund University
The Macrons and the royal couple will then visit a meeting of students at Lund University along with Billström and Persson.
They will meet the Vice Chancellor of Lund University, Erik Renström, and Professor of French, Jonas Granfeldt. There will then be a debate moderated by Sylvia Schwaag Serger, a Professor at the Department of Economic History.
Reception in Lund
The Macrons will end their trip by hosting a reception in Lund for King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.
Farewell ceremony at Malmö Airport
The state visit will end with a farewell ceremony at Malmö airport, when Sweden's king and queen give a formal farewell to the French presidential couple before they board their plane back to Paris.
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Macron will be accompanied on his visit by several ministers in his government, by a business delegation, and by representatives from France's parliament, government agencies, and cultural groups.
According to a post by the Swedish embassy in Paris, the aim of the visit is to "further strengthen the broad and unique relationship between Sweden and France", and to "stimulate cooperation in innovation, the green transition and defence".
So what's on the programme?
Tuesday January 30th
The state visit will begin with a welcome ceremony at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, when Macron and King Carl XVI Gustaf will together inspect the bearskin-wearing Grenadier Company of Sweden's Life Guards regiment.
This ceremony will be open to the public and take place in the inner courtyard of the palace, with the national anthems of both Sweden and France played.
The Macrons will then be formally introduced to representatives of the Swedish parliament and the government at a ceremony in the Rikssalen (literally The National Hall), the main ceremonial chamber in the palace.
The Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will then greet the French delegation, after which Macron will hold a press conference in Lovisa Ulrika's dining room in the castle, together with the king.
Lunch
The Macrons will then dine with the King and Queen in the palace, with the rest of the French delegation attending a lunch hosted by Sweden's foreign ministry at the Arvfurstens Palace.
Meeting with speaker of Parliament
After lunch, Macron will go to meet Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Swedish Parliament at the parliament building.
Meeting with prime minister
Macron will then cross over to the Rosenbad Palace where he will meet Ulf Kristersson, Sweden's prime minister, for discussions at which the two are expected to sign a new partnership between their respective countries, followed by a joint press conference.
Rinkebyskolan
After lunch, Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will visit Rinkebyskolan, a school in Rinkeby, a heavily segregated suburb of Stockholm, where they will be met by Lotta Edholm, Sweden's school minister, Stockholm's Social Democrat mayor in charge of schools and education, and the school's headmaster Martin Malmberg.
The two will then meet the school's pupil council, hold a discussion and visit a classroom.
Moderna muséet
Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will visit Stockholm's main museum, Moderna muséet, for an event organised by the Swedish Institute and Institut Français on painting and set design. They will be accompanied by Sweden's culture minister, Parisa Liljestrand.
Roundtable discussion on security politics
After his meeting with the prime minister, Macron and King Carl XVI Gustav will move to the Karlberg Palace in Solna, where they will hold a roundtable with military and security policy experts from Sweden and France on "the future of European security".
The Swedish delegation will be led by Jakob Hallgren, head of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and Robert Egnell, head of the Swedish Defence University. Sweden's defence minister, Pål Jonsson and Sweden's national security advisor Henrik Landerholm will also attend.
Macron will then give a lecture to students at the defence university and other invitees, with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Kristersson also speaking.
Gala Dinner
The Swedish royal couple will then host a gala dinner at the Royal Palace for the French delegation.
Wednesday, January 31st
Sweden-France Business Forum: Accelerating Europe's competitiveness
The day will start at Stockholm's city hall, when both King Carl XVI Gustaf and President Emmanuel Macron take part in a business seminar titled "Accelerating Europe's competitiveness".
Around 200 representatives from French and Swedish companies will take part. Sweden's business minister, Ebba Busch, and Sweden's trade minister, Johan Forsell, will both give speeches.
The forum will focus on green innovation and how to secure the necessary skilled personnel for the future. The event will be followed by a networking lunch.
Arrival at Malmö Airport
The Macrons will then fly with Sweden's king and queen to Malmö airport where they will be met by Skåne's governor, Anneli Hulthén.
European Spallation Source, ESS
They will then drive to the European Spallation Source (ESS), where they will meet Sweden's education minister, Mats Persson, and the ESS's director general Helmut Schober. Sweden's foreign minister, Tobias Billström, is also expected to attend.
France and Sweden are two of the 13 countries funding ESS, which when completed will be the world’s most powerful neutron source, allowing the structure of matter to be studied at a new level of detail.
Alfa Laval
The Macrons will then visit the Swedish engineering company Alfa Laval, where they will be met with the company's chief executive, Tom Erixon, alongside both Billström and Persson.
A memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Sweden and France on nuclear power will then be signed at a special ceremony, with the delegation visiting a factory where Alfa Laval makes technology used in the nuclear industry.
Barnahus
Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will visit Malmö's Barnahus, or Children's House project, where children who are suspected of being abused physically or sexually are given a safe place where they can talk about what has happened to them.
Sweden's minister for Social Affairs, Camilla Waltersson Grönwall, will accompany them on the visit, together with Malmö's mayor for social affairs Sedat Arif.
Friends
Queen Silvia and Brigitte Macron will then visit the Malmö offices of the anti-bullying charity Friends.
Debate with students at Lund University
The Macrons and the royal couple will then visit a meeting of students at Lund University along with Billström and Persson.
They will meet the Vice Chancellor of Lund University, Erik Renström, and Professor of French, Jonas Granfeldt. There will then be a debate moderated by Sylvia Schwaag Serger, a Professor at the Department of Economic History.
Reception in Lund
The Macrons will end their trip by hosting a reception in Lund for King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.
Farewell ceremony at Malmö Airport
The state visit will end with a farewell ceremony at Malmö airport, when Sweden's king and queen give a formal farewell to the French presidential couple before they board their plane back to Paris.
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