Articles by this author
Which issues look set to decide Sweden's election?
With three months to go until Sweden's general election on 13th September, parties are jostling for position. So far, one classic political question looks set to dominate. But could all that change?
Swedes are masters of passive aggression: here's how to detect it
Swedes famously loathe conflict, so it is perhaps natural that they are masters of the passive-aggressive dig. James Savage has picked out some gems and explains what they really mean.
OPINION: Are tips in Sweden becoming the norm?
Should you tip in Sweden? Habits are changing fast thanks to new technology and a hard-pressed restaurant trade, writes James Savage.
Politics in Sweden: Hugging Åkesson close could be the kiss of death for Liberals
Embracing the Sweden Democrats was supposed to give the Liberals access to much needed support from their allies. The risk is that it pushes their poll ratings even further into the basement, argues The Local's James Savage.
The most unexpected foreign words in Swedish
Every language borrows from its neighbours: English is a proper mongrel, with layers of German, Danish and Norman French interspersed with smatterings of Celtic. Swedish has borrowed liberally from German, French and English, but a few other languages have left their mark, often in a way that tells a story about Swedish history. Here are some of the best.
Politics in Sweden: Sweden needs to get off the fence on Iran – but how?
The US and Israel’s lightning attack on Iran has left Sweden with a dilemma. As Nato’s newest member with a large Iranian community – but also a traditional stickler for international law – Sweden has so far chosen to sit on the fence in the conflict. The question is how long that can be sustained, writes The Local's James Savage.
Three years after The Local, Sweden wakes up to teen deportations
The Local has been writing about teen deportations for years. Why did it take everyone else so long to catch up?
OPINION: Swedes are far more pro-migration than you think
Swedes are not opposed to immigration, they’re opposed to immigration that doesn’t benefit them. Throwing working people or their families out of the country is bad politics, argues James Savage.
Global crisis? Step forward Sweden's straight-shooting influencer-in-chief
The old order is gone, we're in the middle of a rupture, and world leaders are concluding they can't tip-toe around Trump any longer. This has opened the door for one Swedish politician who has made Instagram-friendly plain-speaking an art.
Sweden's sudden love affair with Europe – and why it matters
Swedes, once some of the EU's most sceptical citizens, are now some of the project's greatest enthusiasts. James Savage asks: what happened?
Why does the Swedish right love to bash SVT?
Sweden's public broadcasters are under attack from the right. James Savage asks whether attacks on Sweden's public broadcasters could prove counter-productive.
The strange power of Sweden's four-percent minnows
Sweden's three smallest parties are given attention completely out of proportion to their microscopic polling numbers. But they hold the cards, and this week Ebba Busch showed she was willing to play them, says James Savage.
OPINION: Sweden needs politicians who stand up for sin
Sweden’s a supposedly liberal country, yet its debate is hamstrung by taboos on subjects from drugs to housing. We have eight parliamentary parties — they should use this to give voters a proper debate, and a choice, says James Savage.
Sweden needs more of the Nooshi and Ebba show
Interrupting a political debate isn’t good manners, but it is good TV — and good for democracy. Sweden needs more rowdy debates, not fewer, argues James Savage.
Why is the right thrashing the left in Swedish social media?
Right-wing influencers are increasingly dominating Swedish social media. Is this a sign that US-owned platforms are favoring politicians in the Trump mould, or does the right just have the better tunes at the moment, asks James Savage.
Politics in Sweden: 'permanent' has become precarious for immigrants to Sweden
A proposal to retroactively remove permanent residency from over 100,000 people in Sweden might not become law in its present form – but the very fact that it's being proposed will make many immigrants less secure, says James Savage.
Want to build your Swedish network? Here's where to start
Sweden is not always an easy country to network in, but there are strategies that work. James Savage, who has been here more than twenty years, says the key is to get organised.
Could this be the start of a liberal shift on work permits in Sweden?
With businesses crying out for qualified workers, could voices wanting to loosen the rules for work permits get a hearing, asks James Savage.
Can Kristersson convince Swedish voters to give him a second term?
It’s been a tough couple of years for leaders of western democracies: incumbents in France, Germany, the UK and the US have all recently taken a whipping at the polls. As things stand, Sweden’s Ulf Kristersson is in line for a similar beating when the country goes to the polls in September next year.
Threat to Stockholm nightclub sparks killjoy row
The threatened closure of a classic Stockholm outdoor nightclub after complaints from neighbours has sparked cross-party concern that the Swedish nightlife is being strangled by an unholy alliance of killjoy nimbies and bureaucrats.
Reader question: I’ve been invited to a Swedish wedding. What do I wear?
So you’ve got an invitation to a Swedish wedding and it includes a mysterious dress code. What exactly are you supposed to wear? The Local's James Savage has the lowdown.
US Nato support 'still quite strong', insists former ambassador to Sweden
The former US ambassador to Sweden, Erik Ramanathan, is back for the Almedalen political week in Visby. He tells The Local why he thinks Nato countries can still rely on US support despite US President Donald Trump's rhetoric, and why he'll be attending Stockholm Pride.
Want to make Sweden more attractive, Johan Forssell? Listen to those already here
Sweden badly needs to attract more highly-qualified immigrants ‒ and it needs to make it more attractive to stay. If the government wants to find out how to do this, it needs to start asking the people who have already chosen Sweden, says James Savage.