Sweden straddle EU

(Image: ©Sweden.se/ Flickr)

Sweden’s somewhere up there. But at the moment Europe’s northern lights are somewhere kind of everywhere: take the eternal sandy or shock blonde ex-pat stereotype, the Swedish pirate political party which snatched a seat in the brand new European parliament in June, and the fact that the country is running the EU until the end of the year! Their political focus is on the crisis and the environment. Skål captain!

INVESTIGATION Why Swedes go next door to Denmark to buy alcohol

Why Swedes go next door to Denmark to buy alcohol

The Swedes are notorious for their heavy drinking; its government has been trying to counter the problem since the 19th century

by Jessica Karagöl @ // 07/08/09

alcohol, tourism, eurogeneration, travel, youth

INTERVIEW Sweden's Cecilia Malmström: 'I'm a politician. It’s not my task to impose an identity on people'

Sweden's Cecilia Malmström: 'I'm a politician. It’s not my task to impose an identity on people'

The Gothenburg-based politician, 41, has been EU affairs minister since 2006. We talk institutional reform, economic crisis and Turkey in part III of a special edition marking the six-month Swedish presidency of the EU, which began on 1 July

by Pierre-Anthony Canovas @ // 05/08/09

identity, globalisation

FEATURE Swedish women, the ideal woman?

Swedish women, the ideal woman?

Tall, dashing, blond hair and a blue-eyed stare. The list of clichés regarding Swedish women is long. Courted by men, envied by other women; how do the women in question live with these stereotypes? Part II in a special edition marking the six-month Swedish presidency of the EU

by Camille Thomas @ // 04/08/09

feminism, society, erasmus, sexism, men and women

INTERVIEW Swedish Pirate Party MEP Christian Engström: ‘Europe is stronger than the US’

Swedish Pirate Party MEP Christian Engström: ‘Europe is stronger than the US’

The newly elected pirate MEP, 49, a former computer programmer from Stockholm, talks about the EU-US relationship, eyes turning towards Sweden again and Europe’s second wave of pirate parties. Part I in a special edition marking the six-month Swedish presidency of the EU

by Waldemar Ingdahl @ // 03/08/09

european parliament, mep, privacy, politics, stockholm, internet, interview, european elections 2009

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