Tag: Sweden

The Story: The prime minister of the Kingdom of Sweden, Stefan Lofven, reported last week that a person close to him had come into contact...

A huge row is brewing after Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested yesterday at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has lived for the past seven years. The government of Ecuador revoked his asylum and invited police officers to take him away from its premises in Knightsbridge. He was found guilty of failing to surrender to court. Assange now faces extradition to United States for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, over the leaks of millions of classified government documents. His colleagues at Wikileaks claim he could face the death penalty, but Washington insists that the computer hacking charge against him carries a maximum of five years. Further charges could yet be brought. It sets the scene for a political battle, as while Theresa May has welcomed Assange’s arrest, Jeremy Corbyn says his extradition “for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan should be opposed”. She invoked the case of Gary McKinnon, who hacked into US computers but whose extradition was blocked on human rights grounds by May in 2012, when the prime minister was home secretary. But Labour’s position could yet change if it becomes clear that Sweden would go on to extradite Assange to the US. However things play out, the case is sure to cause friction within Labour.

There's been a backlash to that wave of immigration, and now close to 1 in 5 Swedes say they'll vote for the nationalistic Sweden Democrats, a party with roots in the neo-Nazi movement. Sidsel Overgaard reports. LEIF AKEBERG: This is the Swedish Trump. OVERGAARD: Akeberg says the Sweden Democrats' policies are rooted in racism, plain and simple. But Giedra Andersson says that's not what it's about. OVERGAARD: Crime statistics are tricky. Sweden, by almost any measure, is an extremely safe country. MIKAEL SUNDSTROM: You don't need solid data to sell the idea, from the Sweden Democrats' point of view, that immigrants are linked to crime. Patrik Jonsson, who leads the Sweden Democrats in the Skane region, points to his counterparts in the Danish People's Party as a model for the future. For NPR News, I'm Sidsel Overgaard in Malmo, Sweden.

There are just two subjects that the papers are interested in today: the World Cup game between England and Sweden and Theresa May winning support for her Brexit deal at the Chequers summit on Friday. Most of the newspapers agree that the Brexit agreement is a victory for May. The Guardian splashes with the headline: “May wins cabinet agreement for soft Brexit plan” and reports that the prime minister managed to sign up “her fractious cabinet” to a “controversial plan to match EU standards on food and goods”, but that this had not gone down well with Tory Brexiters. (@claremargetson) Tomorrow’s Guardian front page #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/2gc8Zbryba July 6, 2018 The headline on the strongly pro-Brexit Daily Telegraph is: “Cabinet signs up to May’s Brexit deal” and they report: “Theresa May won her battle with Eurosceptic ministers on Friday night as she announced the cabinet has signed up to a Brexit deal that keeps Britain tied to EU rules and regulations indefinitely.” The headline on the FT Weekend is “May wins backing for ‘soft’ Brexit after facing down cabinet rebels” and the i weekend is even more stark with “May takes back control”. (@hendopolis) I WEEKEND: May takes back control #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/KppG3nJdMS July 6, 2018 (@hendopolis) DAILY TELEGRAPH: Cabinet signs up to May’s Brexit deal #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/cJrJl5cCHl July 6, 2018 The Daily Mail is less than impressed with the deal that has been reached, calling it “an uneasy agreement on a 12-point ‘compromise’, which could see Britain tied to some EU rules forever”. (@hendopolis) DAILY MAIL Soft Brexit threat to May #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/dIOqFqdcQj July 6, 2018 The Times is interested in how the deal will affect Boris Johnson, who led a group of Tory rebels who were calling for a tougher line on Brexit, and whom they claim will be sacked “if he rebels again”. Their headline is: “Johnson in firing line as PM claims Brexit victory”. (@hendopolis) THE TIMES: Johnson in firing line as PM claims Brexit victory #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/H4avZ0w7F7 July 6, 2018 The Daily Express is full of cheer at the news saying “Cabinet agree 12-point Brexit plan AND there’s more good news ... Trump ready to offer UK zero tariff trade deal”, based on comments from the US ambassador to the UK, Robert “Woody” Johnson, that zero tariffs could be on the table as the US president seeks to get a “quick deal” on trans-Atlantic trade. (@hendopolis) EXPRESS: Trump ready to offer UK zero tariff deal #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Kq6M3G1Rdi July 6, 2018 The Mirror doesn’t have Brexit on the front page, instead dedicating the full page to Harry Kane and the rest of the English football side, with the headline: “Captain Fantastic: My band of brothers”, though the paper does dedicate page 11 to the Brexit discussions held at “May’s pad”, as they call Chequers, saying the PM had succeeded in uniting the Tories, and leading with the “dramatic retreat” by Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and David Davis from threats they would quit over the Brexit deal. (@hendopolis) MIRROR: My band of Brothers #england #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/F4UOUs65is July 6, 2018

The Almedalen Week is a well-known institution in Swedish politics, having attracted decision-makers to the island of Gotland every summer since 1968. Now he’s launched his own politics festival, Järvaveckan, in a Stockholm suburb – and has already managed to attract all Swedish party leaders. Enter Ahmed Abdirahman. In his spare time, he has launched his own politics week, Järvaveckan, in the northern Stockholm suburb of Tensta. In 2017, he managed to attract all of Sweden’s party leaders – a feat he repeated this year. Just like the Almedalen Week, each political party in the Swedish parliament has its own day at Järvaveckan, with party-leader speeches, debates and gambits. That’s the only way, really,” Ahmed Abdirahman says with a smile. We’re doing this together.” Ahmed Abdirahman is the founder and chairman of The Global Village, the local non-profit that runs the politics-week challenger. Last year they succeeded for the first time in attracting all Swedish party leaders, who have returned again this year. Ahmed here, over.” Ahmed Abdirahman puts a hand on his ear piece, listening intently to an incoming call.

Significant risk for dead-lock after Swedish election: Ohman Sees lowest expected market return since turn of millennium Investors typically ignore Swedish politics. But this year’s general election could be different, according to Swedish asset manager Ohman Funds. All polls indicate that none of the two major blocs will emerge with a majority and there’s little appetite to reach across the aisle among the biggest political parties. “It seems impossible to form a new Swedish majority government as things stand currently,” said Pablo Bernengo, chief executive officer at Ohman Funds in Stockholm “The risk for a dead-lock is significant.” And political turmoil at this late stage of a stock rally and economic upswing could have dire consequences, according to Bernengo. The stakes are high with the potential for a continued downturn in the Swedish housing market and slowing growth. The central bank could at the same time be forced into tightening as inflation, which lags growth, finally picks up. But his main scenario for now is that a compromise will be reached on a minority government. Investors should therefore adjust their expectations, said Jamal Abida Norling, Ohman’s chief investment officer, whose Sweden Micro Cap fund was awarded awarded best small-cap fund by Morningstar based on its result over the past 5 years. “It’s significantly lower compared to three-four years ago.” Ohman went to neutral in emerging market stocks during the fall after holding an overweight for almost 18 months. The asset manager is overweight credits within fixed income and also prefers a lower duration.