Sweden Today:

Moderates given ultimatum / Ambitious indoor ski slope planned for Kviberg / Top Swedish singers / Honor violence hotline keeping busy / Fashionable sweatpants for men 

  • Anna Kinberg Batra, leader of the Moderate Party since January 2015.

  • Moderates given ultimatum
    (National) The Center Party has warned the Moderates that the center-right alliance could end if Moderates go ahead with plans to negotiate with the Swedish Democrats, reports Swedish Radio. The Swedish Democrats are seen as a nationalist anti-immigration party with roots in the ultra-right nationalist movements. Last week, Anna Kinberg Batra, leader of the Moderate party, announced she was willing to bring down the government with support from SD. Anders Jonsson, head of the Center parliamentary group, told the radio station that his party would like to continue working with the alliance but “it will never be an option for the Center to negotiate with SD.” Group leaders of the four parties of the alliance, the Moderates, Liberals, Christian Democrats and the Center, will meet later this week to clarify how each party's position is in relation to a future cooperation and SD.

  • Singer and songwriter of pop and soul, Miriam Bryant, 25, is 2016's most popular Swedish music artist. Wikipedia photo/EMI Music Sweden

  • Ambitious indoor ski slope planned for Kviberg
    (Gothenburg) An indoor ski slope, a velodrome and 1,840 new homes is being planned for the Kviberg area outside Gothenburg. Developed by Serneke and several other architectural firms, the project is envisioned to create a first-class structure connected to housing and to integrate various community offerings. The development, it is hoped, will also strengthen the north-east section of Sweden’s second largest city.

  • Interior view of a velodrome in Switzerland. Wikipedia photo/Peter Mettler

  • Top Swedish singers
    (Culture) Music for 2016 has found the most popular Swedish music artist is Miriam Bryant, according to statistics from streaming music Deezer. Following close behind is Avicii, Håkan Hellström and Kent. Kent also takes top spot for most popular album “We are Forever.”

  • Swedish men are turning sweatpants into a fashion trend in 2017. Photo source lookastic.com

  • Honor violence hotline keeping busy
    (National) Sweden’s support hotline for honor violence has been receiving an influx of calls from women seeking help and support from government and volunteer groups. Set up in 2014, the hotline received a 50 percent increase in calls between 2015 and 2016. One reason for the increase can be attributed to the large number of refugees seeking help from their own families.

  • Swedish singer and songwriter Miriam Bryant.

  • Fashionable sweatpants for Swedish men
    (Fashion) Stepping out on the town in sweat pants was once considered slovenly, but a new trend combines the casual soft look with knit sweaters, leather jackets, overcoats and stylish white sneakers to create a trendy uptown look. Stockholm’s fashion editor Martin Hansson has his eye on menswear and says the look works as long as the pants look clean and fit well. Seeing the trend both at work and in restaurants, Hansson says it is peaking in 2017 both in Sweden and abroad.