Week 39: Debaters disagree on why the protests in Iran have become so powerful

Violent protests are ongoing in Tehran. Photo: Lingbeek, Getty Image Signature. Source: Canva.

Of: Liljan Daoud

The Iranian protests have once again interested the Swedish debaters this week - perhaps as a response to last week's criticism of a lack of support after mahsa Jina Aminis death. This week's debate has also discussed the veil and how, according to the debaters, it symbolizes the systematic the oppression of women.

October 3, 2022, Current debate

Week 38: Debaters demand support for Iranian women's freedom struggle

Protests have spread across Iran, and also elsewhere in the world, since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being beaten by Iran's so-called morality police for wearing her veil "the wrong way". The protests have been a central topic on Swedish debate and editorial pages during the past week. Pictured: Protest in London against the compulsion for women to wear the veil in Iran. Photo: Gary Knight. Source: Flickr.

Of: Elianne Kjellman and Ella Sjöbeck

The wave of protests in Iran, which erupted after the 22-year-old mahsa Aminis death that occurred in connection with her arrest by the Iranian morality police, has characterized the past week's debate and editorial pages. Several debaters are now calling on governments, organizations and individuals to support Iranian women's fight for freedom. Concerns about the consequences of cuts in Swedish aid has also been debated.

September 26, 2022, Current debate

Week 22: Climate summit in Stockholm and Turkey's demands for Swedish NATO membership guide this week's debate

This is what it looked like when world leaders triumphantly agreed on the 1,5-degree goal at the climate summit in Paris in 2015. In connection with the Stockholm + 50 meeting that took place this week, it is still a matter of rolling up our sleeves and getting the job done, Lovisa Arvidsson writes in Aftonbladet. Photo: UNclimatechange. Source: Flickr.

Of: Hanne Karlsson and Markus Hietanen

During the past week, both Turkey's demands for Swedish NATO membership and the Stockholm + 50 Climate Summit have been debated. How should Sweden respond to Turkey's various demands and what is most important to prioritize in the climate issue? 

June 8, 2022, Current debate

Week 21: Imminent famine engages debaters

With the Ukraine war, millions of people in the world are threatened by famine, but the uncertainty surrounding the global food situation is far older than the war, according to Dagens Nyheter's editorial staff. Photo: Dennis Jarvis. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Of: Sigrid Wernersson and Villemo Warnerfjord

An impending svältcatastrophe stood högt på agenda on debate and leadership pages last week. Framförare forwardlls Russia's blockades of ports in Ukraine as a threat to the global food försöthe rjning. 

June 3, 2022, Current debate

Week 20: Sweden's application for NATO membership arouses opposition

The fact that Turkey has demanded that Sweden extradite about 20 Kurds in order for Sweden's NATO application to be accepted has created debate. Among other things, several left-wing parties demand a guarantee from Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S) that no Kurds will be extradited. Photo: NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Source: Flickr.

Of: Elise Olsson and Idun Eklind

Sweden's now submitted NATO application and Swedish arms exports have been high on the agenda in the past week. A potential Swedish NATO membership has aroused both criticism and opposition. Partly because the decision was not voted on by the Swedish people, partly because the application has not been welcomed by Turkey.

May 23, 2022, Current debate

Week 19: debaters question new gender affiliation law and Swedish NATO membership

During the past week, debaters have, among other things, discussed the proposal for a new gender affiliation law. Pictured: Pride parade in Stockholm, 2018. Photo: Sparrow. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Of: Hanne Karlsson

During the past week, several actors have debated whether a new gender equality law in Sweden would mean a necessary modernization or whether it would do more harm than good. The NATO issue has also remained on the agenda.  

May 18, 2022, Current debate

Week 18: Debaters warn of cuts in aid

Instead of taking money from development aid to pay for refugee reception, Sweden should increase support for farmers in poor parts of the world, in order to counter a global food crisis. This is what Anna Tibblin, Secretary General of We Effect, and Anna-Karin Hatt, CEO of the Swedish Farmers' Association (LRF), write in a debate article in SvD. Pictured: Mauritania, which in 2012 was hit by a serious food crisis. Photo: Oxfam International. Source: Flickr.

Of: Alice Eriksson

Last week warned debaters for the consequences of reducing Swedish aid when the UN flags that billions of people in the world could be starved due to the war in Ukraine, while the question about nuclear weapons was a part of the continued NATO debate. 

May 9, 2022, Current debate

Week 17: Several demand that Europe restrict imports of Russian gas

The sale of fossil fuels and raw materials to Europe is perhaps the single most important source of income for Putin to finance his war against Ukraine, according to several Swedish debaters. Photo: Peretz Partensky. Source: Flickr.

Of: Markus Hietanen

A Russian halt to gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria this week breathed new life into the debate over Europe's energy dependence on Russia and how the West is financing Putin's war in Ukraine.  

May 2, 2022, Current debate

Week 16: Debators turn on the NATO issue

In mid-April, the Social Democratic prime ministers of Sweden and Finland - Magdalena Andersson and Sanna Marin - met to discuss the countries' possible entry into NATO. Now, among other things, Aftonbladet's editorial board is turning on the issue - and believes that Sweden should join NATO. Photo: FinnishGovernment. Source: Flickr.

Of: Hanne Karlsson and Linnea Ljungar

Last week's debate and leadership pages revolved to a large extent around the riots that took place in several Swedish cities during the Easter weekend. The global issues that were discussed continued to be about a possible Swedish membership in NATO - and among other things, Aftonbladet's management side has changed their opinion on the issue.

April 25, 2022, Current debate

Week 15: "Europe's oil and gas kill civilians in Ukraine"

More debaters believe that the EU should stop importing Russian gas. Photo: Giorgio Galeotti. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Of: Ina Carlsson

The past week's debate and leadership pages have been dominated by discussions about how the Western world should handle trade in Russian goods. Debaters have also discussed the financial and food crises that have hit developing countries in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

April 19, 2022, Current debate