Today in Sweden: A roundup of the latest news on Monday

Stefan Löfven faces deadline to resolve government crisis

Social Democrat leader Stefan Löfven has until the end of today to secure all the votes he needs to be reinstated as prime minister. The speaker of parliament handed the torch to Löfven last week after opposition rival Ulf Kristersson failed to form a new government.

Unless Löfven abandons his bid or asks for more time, a vote could be held in parliament on Wednesday at the earliest. If all members of parliament vote according to the party line, the parties that will vote against Löfven (the Moderates, Christian Democrats, Liberals and Sweden Democrats) have 174 votes, which is one vote short of a majority. All Löfven needs is 175 MPs to either vote for him or abstain.

We talk a bit more about Swedish politics in The Local’s podcast Sweden in Focus this week. Listen below or click HERE.

Swedish vocabulary: speaker of parliament – (en) talman

100 break-ins a day last summer

Home owners and summer home owners reported 100 daily break-ins in June, July and August in 2020, according to official figures reported by Swedish public radio broadcaster SR’s news programme Ekot.

That’s an increase of 16 percent compared to the same period in 2019, and the northern policing region Polisregion Nord topped the statistics with a 47 percent increase.

Swedish vocabulary: break-in – (ett) inbrott

Swedish public transport company stops using body cameras

Public transport operator Arriva’s train staff will stop using body cameras in southern Sweden after its Stockholm counterpart SL was fined 16 million kronor ($1.87 million) for using body cameras while checking passengers’ tickets.

The body cameras are meant to prevent and document threatening incidents, but the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection found that they were in violation of data protection laws, as many more travellers risked being caught on camera.

Swedish vocabulary: body camera – (en) kroppskamera

Swedes rush to buy condoms amid eased pandemic rules

The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education’s (RFSU) sale of condoms went up by 19 percent in Sweden in May and June compared to the same period last year, an increase its experts link to the gradual lifting of coronavirus recommendations.

“There seems to be a feeling of ‘we’re allowed now’,” RFSU’s Anette Otterström told the TT news agency. Meanwhile in Norway, which has had tougher pandemic restrictions than Sweden, condom sales increased by 29 percent in the second quarter.

Sweden lifted its national recommendation to only meet people in your immediate circle on July 1st; this was replaced by advice to meet people outdoors if you can, only meet in small groups, and avoid being close to others in smaller spaces.

Swedish vocabulary: condom – (en) kondom