Public opinion in Sweden is increasingly at odds with the government's restrictive immigration policies, a new survey has found.

The study, commissioned by non-profit organisation Globeknot and carried out by Novus, found that 81 per cent of respondents thought that foreigners who follow the law and support themselves should be allowed to stay in Sweden.

The Local's Richard Orange caught up with Globeknot's Andreas Bergh, who is also Associate Professor of Economics at Lund University, to find out more about the survey.

READ ALSO:

• Sweden's migration crackdown 'goes beyond what most voters want'

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Sign up to Membership+ now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

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This week we spend most of the episode looking at Wednesday’s controversial vote in parliament to pass stricter citizenship laws.

We also talk about King Carl Gustaf’s 80th birthday celebrations, Sweden’s bonfire night and May Day celebrations.

Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange.

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

• As it happened: Swedish MPs vote through citizenship reforms without transitional rules
• Sweden's parliament rejects transitional rules for citizenship bill
• Sweden Democrats accused of cheating to block transitional rules for citizenship
• Swedish opposition demand revote on transitional citizenship rules
• 'I feel scammed': Foreigners in Sweden react to controversial citizenship vote

• Walpurgis Night: Why are Swedes dancing around bonfires?
• Where are the best places to celebrate Valborg in Sweden in 2026?
• Why is May 1st a public holiday in Sweden?

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers.

Sign up to Membership+ now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+

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Sweden is heading to an election in less than five months and the left of centre parties are leading consistently in the polls.

But the question everyone's asking i:, could this disparate group of parties form a government?

Will the Centre Party or the Left Party drop some of their red lines to make this happen? And what could the alternatives be?

Richard Orange caught up with Nicholas Aylott, Associate Professor of Political Science at Södertörn University in the south of Stockholm, to ask him what might happen.

READ ALSO:

• Will there still be a left-wing and right-wing bloc come September?

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.