Swedish News Roundup for Today: Latest Developments on a Weekday
Revamped Version:
Here's a fresh take on the recent happenings within Sweden's political scene:
Jimmie Åkesson, the leader of the Sweden Democrats (SD), admitted that his party's past is far from stellar. During a speaker engagement at the Almedalen political festival this week, he offered a heartfelt apology for the party's unsavory history, following the release of the second part of their 'white book,' an 800-page document detailing the party's origins and history.
The 'white book' covers the period between SD's inception in 1988 and its entry into parliament in 2010, shedding light on the party's roots in nationalist movements filled with right-wing extremists, fascists, and even some with Nazi ties.
Åkesson frankly admitted to Swedish Broadcasting Corporation (SVT) that the document contained "a lot of bad things," and it wasn't something he'd enjoy reading.
Åkesson expressed concern that Jews in Sweden would have had ample reasons to fear his party during those times. He emphasized that the white book made it undeniable that there was "overt antisemitism among individual Sweden Democrats."
He expressed sincere regret and apologies for those periods when his party may have appeared threatening or frightening to Jews in Sweden.
Despite the blemishes of SD's past, the party is facing a labor shortage in several professions, according to a new study by Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmädlingen).
Almost one in three professions (53 out of 163) are experiencing a labor crunch. Employers are finding it particularly taxing to find nurses, electricians, IT professionals (specifically system veterans), teachers, and waiters with the right skillset.
On the flip side, as our population ages, there's an anticipated surge in demand for healthcare workers.
Interestingly, some professions like cleaning, reception, and waitstaff, face a paradoxical situation. While there's a need for new staff and a potential pool of labor, issues with matching staff to jobs arise due to factors like part-time work, skills, or skilled workers leaving the profession.
Sweden's universities are looking to boost scholarly collaboration with China in a joint opinion piece published in Svenska Dagbladet by the vice-chancellors of four of Sweden's largest universities. They argue that China's rapid investments in research and development areas like artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and renewable energy have allowed them to close the gap with the US when it comes to technological research.
They caution that there are inherent risks associated with collaborating with China but suggest that it's possible to avoid them in "neutral areas" like sustainable technology.
The opinion piece was penned by Martin Nilsson Jacobi from Chalmers, Anders Söderholm from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Erik Renström from Lund University, and Anders Hagfeldt from Uppsala University.
Lastly, Sweden has recently acquired German air defence systems in a multibillion kronor deal, as announced by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Kristersson emphasized that this air defence system was part of the "rapid rearmament" currently underway in Sweden.
Apparently, Sweden wants to boost its defense spending by adding 300 billion kronor over the next decade, bringing defense spending up to 3.5% of GDP by 2030, compared to the current 2.4%. Kristersson asserted that the conflict in Ukraine was a crucial wake-up call for the importance of a robust air defense system.
Swedish slang:vit bok - white book (similar to a white paper, a document focusing on a specific issue or subject)bristyrke - profession with a labor shortage
- The 'white book' released by the Sweden Democrats, a document focusing on the party's origins and history, sheds light on the politics of policy-and-legislation, as its contents reveal the party's ties to nationalist movements and extremist groups.
- In the realm of general-news, Sweden's universities are engaging in discussions about boosting scholarly collaboration with China, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and renewable energy, highlighting the intersection of politics and international relations.
