The Old Country Newsletter – Empires & Engineering

My personal favorite book series of all time is The Emigrants, by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. Through the four books in the series, we get to follow the triumphs and tribulations of early Swedish immigrants in America. In the first book, "The Emigrants," we meet Karl Oskar, Kristina Nilsson, their three children, and eleven others who set out from Småland in 1850, seeking a better life away from poverty, religious persecution, and social injustice.

By clicking here, you can learn more about the books and order a copy for yourself. Beyond getting your hands on an incredible book, it is also a great way to show support for this newsletter, as a few cents of each sale will help support our work.

The Debate Over Reduced Work Hours Heats Up

Could shorter work hours become a key issue in the 2026 elections? This spring, the topic has gained traction among political parties and interest groups.

The push for reduced work hours is gaining momentum. The newly appointed chairman of LO – which is an umbrella organization of union employee organizations linked to the labor movement in Sweden – Johan Lindholm is determined to make it a priority for the organization. “It’s a hot topic, it’s on the table, and we’re going to pursue it,” says Lindholm. While the specifics of the proposal are still up in the air, options range from a four-day workweek to six-hour workdays.

The last time Sweden’s working hours law was updated was in 1973. Now, both the Left Party and representatives of the Social Democrats are keen to push the issue forward. Although LO hasn’t ruled out the possibility of legislating reduced work hours, Lindholm emphasizes that it should ideally be achieved through collective bargaining. “Sweden is built on collective bargaining agreements, and that’s the path we should take,” he explains.

Since LO’s announcement this spring that it will advocate for reduced work hours in upcoming negotiations, and with Annika Strandhäll signaling that the Social Democrats might adjust their policy on the matter, the topic has become more prominent. According to a recent poll by Verian, 68% of voters support the idea of reduced work hours with maintained pay, showing significant public backing. Support is highest among voters for the Left Party and the Green Party, with 96% in favor. Even among parties where support is lower, about half of the voters are still in favor.

However, almost eight out of ten Swedish managers oppose the idea of shorter work hours with the same pay, as revealed by an Ipsos survey of over 2,000 managers conducted for DI. Per Hidesten, CEO of Industriarbetsgivarna, is clear about the employer's stance ahead of the upcoming negotiations. “We need more working hours and increased productivity, which is contrary to pushing for reduced work hours,” he states.

Would you like to feel closer to Sweden? A perfect way to do that would be to have a look at Swedish broadcasts, either current or past. SVT Play is an online streaming service provided by Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish national public television broadcaster.

To watch it, one has to be in Sweden – or have access to a VPN provider that can connect to a remote server located in Sweden. Like NordVPN, which sponsors this segment of the newsletter.

By using NordVPN, you can access what SVT Play has to offer – including current news, documentaries about emigrants, live broadcasts from nature events, and much more – by simply connecting to a server in Sweden. Follow the link here to get 74 % off for your first two years and three months (!) of usage. By doing so, you also help support the distribution of this newsletter.

On Monday evening, Almedalsveckan began on Gotland, drawing political parties, businesses, and interest groups from across Sweden. Each Swedish party leader gets half a day in the spotlight to deliver their key messages and proposals.

So far, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) has attracted the largest crowd, with around 3,500 attendees for his Wednesday speech, edging out S-leader Magdalena Andersson, who drew an audience of 3,300, according to estimates by Region Gotland.

Earlier in the week, approximately 2,000 people gathered to hear SD leader Jimmie Åkesson on Tuesday, and 1,600 attended C leader Muharrem Demirok’s address.

Throughout their allotted times, parties present proposals and policy directions that receive extensive media coverage. Opinions on the significance of Almedalsveckan vary widely, with some editorial pages emphasizing its importance during uncertain times, while others criticize it as an unnecessary and expensive spectacle.

This year’s event is the first since Sweden raised its terror threat level in August 2023, as reported by TT. Around 30,000 visitors are expected to attend in Visby.

“We are prepared for any situation. We are on high alert,” said Jonatan Ahdrian, Region Gotland’s head of security.

The 2022 murder of senior physician Ing-Marie Wieselgren in Almedalen led to several new measures being implemented to ensure the safety of attendees.