Week 46: A criticized climate summit and the importance of a united Europe 

The COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is taking place in what could be the hottest year on record. Collage: Canva.

Of: Ofelia Gedda

Last week, COP29 began, but in the absence of many of the world leader. Even Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has chosen not to participate in the meeting, which according to this week's debaters seems to be more about money than the climate. Many also argued for the importance of a united Europe as US support falters.  

November 18, 2024, Current debate

Debaters want to see increased support for Ukraine for Sweden's security

Several debaters call on Sweden and Europe to increase support for Ukraine. Pictured (left): Sweden's Minister of Defense Pål Jonson (M) and NATO's Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr. Photo (right): Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Source: Flickr.

Of: Fleur Riller Loins

Sweden must increase the support to Ukraine for to protect Europe and Sweden security. That mean several of that walked of the week debaters.  

April 30, 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 4: Debater on the NATO process: "Turkey and Hungary seized the opportunity to blackmail Sweden"

Turkey has approved Sweden's NATO application, but Hungary wants to negotiate membership. This was one of the topics that characterized the debate on the opinion pages last week. Photo on the left: European Parliament. Source: Flickr. Photo on the right: Mikhail Klimentyev. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Of: Edvin Borg and Rania Yassin

On January 23, Turkey's parliament approved Sweden's NATO application. This marked the Swedish ones the debate and leader pages of the past week, and several debaters reasoned, among other things, about whether the membership has been discussed sufficiently or not. Even Richard Jomshof's (SD) statement to ban Muslim symbols raisede reactions during the week.  

January 29, 2024, Current debate

Friday at Almedal Week: Security issues and China's presence in Africa

Security issues and China's presence on the African continent were two topics FUF covered during Thursday in Almedalen.

Of: The Chancellery

During Friday, Ebba Busch (KD) and Nooshi Dadgostar (V) held their party leadership speeches in Almedalen. Both focused on domestic politics, but mentioned, among other things, Russia's war in Ukraine. FUF interviewed, among others, Björn Cappelin from the Foreign Policy Institute about China's increasing presence and investments in Africa. - There are fears that the prosperity these investments are supposed to generate will not really reach the broad population, he says.

July 1, 2023, Almedalen - current

Ebba Busch (KD) on Sweden's NATO application: "Turkey should be grateful"

Ebba Busch (KD) mentioned various peace and security issues in her party leadership speech in Almedalen on Friday evening, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Sweden's NATO application. "Russia's prospects for influence in Sweden must be zero," she said. Otherwise, she mostly focused on domestic politics in the speech. Photo: Charlee Salmelin.

Of: Julia Lundén Azzeddine, Karin Myrdal and Charlee Salmelin

Ebba Busch (KD) touched on both Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Turkey in her party leadership speech in Almedalen on Friday evening. However, the majority of the speech dealt with domestic political issues and global issues were raised only with Swedish interests in focus.

July 1, 2023, Almedalen - current

Russia's invasion of Ukraine: "Important that we who can continue to tell about the war"

On February 19, protesters gathered at Odenplan in Stockholm to mark the upcoming anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During the day, representatives from several human rights organizations spoke. Photo: Agnes Durbeej-Hjalt.

Of: Agnes Durbeej-Hjalt

On February 24, 2023, a year has passedr since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukrainea. Thousands of people have died and millions have fled their homes. In connection with the anniversary, several arrange human rights organizations demonstrations in Stockholm. The development magazine was on site and guarded one of them.  

February 24, 2023, Reportage

Week 45: Debaters critical of Sweden's NATO negotiations with Turkey

Several debaters are critical of the negotiations between Sweden and Turkey regarding Sweden's NATO application. Photo: NATO. Source: Flickr.

Of: Lilljan Daoud and Matida Jaiteh

The meeting between Turkish President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) in Ankara regarding Sweden's NATO application has been hotly debated over the past week. The UN climate conference COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh has drawn sharp criticism against the Egyptian government.

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November 15, 2022, Current debate

Per Bolund (MP) promised a billion investment for the climate in his Almedal speech

Per Bolund (MP) highlighted, among other things, the climate crisis, NATO and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in his party leadership speech during Almedalen Week. In addition, he mostly focused on climate policy in Sweden. Photo: Julia Lundén Azzeddine.

Of: Julia Lundén Azzeddine, Andreas Klawitter and Elin Malmqvist

In Per Bolund's (MP) party leadership speech during Almedalen Week, he raised, among other things, the climate crisis, the issue of Swedish NATO membership and that Sweden should become independent of Russian gas. In addition, the focus was mostly on climate policy within Sweden's borders - despite the fact that the outside world is a recurring theme in the Green Party's party program.

July 7, 2022, Almedalen - article, News