Week 16: Demand for a written no against nuclear weapons on Swedish soil in military agreements

Several debaters are worried that the DCA military agreement between Sweden and the USA could, among other things, enable nuclear weapons on Swedish soil. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

A proposal for the bilateral military agreement is due in May Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Sweden and the USA is submitted to the Riksdag. This has created debate over the past week, as several debaters believe that there is no guarantee in the agreement that excludes nuclear weapons in Sweden. Swedish government representatives, on the other hand, believe that the agreement will not lead to nuclear weapons or permanent foreign bases on Swedish territory.  

April 22, 2024, Current debate

Week 15: The EU's new migration pact arouses reactions among debaters

The European Parliament has voted through a new pact for the Union's migration policy - which has been met with both criticism and praise during the past week. Photo: European Parliament. Source: Flickr.

Of: Adam hansen

The European Parliament's new migration pact arouses emotions. Several debaters see the pact as necessary for a more stable EU. Others are doubtful about the pact's long-term consequences in relation to both the right to asylum and human rights. 

April 15, 2024, Current debate

Week 14: Debater calls for mobilization before the EU elections

The elections to the European Parliament will be held on June 6-9, 2024. Mobilization of progressive votes, Russian disinformation and the risk of espionage within the EU are some of the topics discussed by debaters during the past week. Pictured: The flag of the European Union in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Photo: European Parliament. Source: Flickr.

Of: Benjamin Frisk

The elections to the European Parliament in June are approaching. Due to that, several debaters write about the mobilization of progressive voices in Europe, inequality in the Union and the existence of corruption and disinformation.

April 8, 2024, Current debate

Week 13: Criticism from several quarters against cuts in Swedish aid

Several debaters are critical of the government's restructuring of Swedish aid. Pictured (left): Minister for Development and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell (M). Photo: UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. Source: Flickr. Pictured (right): Site's logo. Photo: Holger Ellgaard. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Adam hansen

Government restructuring of det Swedisha up tothe tooth and Sida's announcement that the authority will terminate the agreements with several organizations gainr big consequences, say several debaters. De points out that this including affectr human rights defenseare and organizations fighting for international law in Israel and Palestine.

April 2, 2024, Current debate

Week 12: Debate on the government's climate policy and the aviation tax

Both the aviation tax and the importance of anchoring climate policy with the people have been debated over the past week. Image (left): Random institute. Source: Unsplash. Image (right): Markus Spiske. Source: Unsplash.

Of: Fleur Riller Loins

On March 21 surrendered Climate policy the Council without annual assessment av the government's climate policy. Reports has awakened reaction and several debaters has under it walked week discussed climate policyen i both Sweden and Europe.  

March 25, 2024, Current debate

Week 11: Debaters call on Israel to take responsibility for famine in Gaza

During the past week, several debaters have written about the famine in Gaza. Photo: Wafa. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: The Chancellery

The people of Gaza are starving and Israel must take responsibility for it, several write debaters. Greta Thunberg's climate demonstration outside the Riksdag has also been the subject of debate during the past week.

March 18, 2024, Current debate

Week 10: Debaters welcome Sweden's NATO entry

Sweden is now a member of the NATO military alliance. This has been welcomed by most debaters on Swedish opinion pages. Pictured: Ulf Kristersson (M), Prime Minister of Sweden, and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fatima Shek Behi

On March 7, 2024, Sweden became a full member of NATO, two years after the application process began following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. NATO entry has dominated the debate and editorial pages for the past week, with a clear majority welcoming membership of the military alliance.  

March 11, 2024, Current debate

Week 9: Debaters want Sweden to advocate disarmament - even as a NATO member

On Swedish opinion pages during the past week, most debaters were positive that Sweden's long application process to NATO seems to be coming to an end. Pictured: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) (left) next to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (right). Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Benjamin Frisk

On February 26, Hungary's parliament voted yes to Swedengiven NATO membership, and now is that only formalities left before Sweden becomes a full member of the military alliance. This was the focus of the debate and leader pages during the past week, and most of them debaters were positive about Sweden's move towards NATO. Fclay underlined However, the importance of continuing to be a voice for peace and limitation of nuclear weapons. Aid to UNRWA, the UN aid organization for Palestinian refugees, also continued to be debated. 

March 4, 2024, Current debate

Week 8: Debaters demand increased support for Ukraine

Last week, the war in Ukraine entered its third year. With that, debaters demanded, among other things, increased military support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions against Russia. Photo: President of Ukraine. Source: Flickr.

Of: The Chancellery

Last week it was two years since Russia began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which characterized the Swedish opinion pages. Several debaters believed that Sweden, the EU and the world must do more to end the war. 

February 26, 2024, Current debate

Week 7: Center parties demand financial penalties for climate criminals in the EU

During the past week, among other things, the future of the EU has been discussed on Swedish debate and editorial pages, due to the upcoming elections to the European Parliament this summer. Photo: European Parliament. Source: Wikimedia commons.

Of: Ida Nilsson and Adam Hansen

Ahead of the upcoming European Parliament elections, which fall in June this year, the debate about Sweden's role in the EU and the Union's future is increasing. The Center Party demands that the EU introduce financial penalties for countries that do not live up to the goals for climate change, while the Sweden Democrats advocate a restructuring of EU policy and strengthened decision-making at the national level. Even the Russian one opposition politician Alexey Navalny's death has been noticed in the debate during the past week. 

February 19, 2024, Current debate