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Thursday, June 5, 2025

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/one-in-two-single-parents-cannot-afford-unexpected-expenses/

Sweden

One in two single parents cannot afford unexpected expenses

Published 18 October 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Across the EU, 26% of single parents live in material poverty.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

20 percent of Swedes would not be able to pay a major unforeseen expense today, according to new statistics from SCB (Statistics Sweden). Among single parents, the figure is close to 50 percent.

In the SCB’s Survey on Living Conditions (ULF – Undersökning om levnadsförhållanden), several questions are posed to measure material and social poverty, meaning that one cannot afford a certain standard of living. A household that cannot afford at least five of the indicators can be assessed as living in material poverty.

Nearly 1.7 million people in Sweden live in households without a cash margin, that is, the ability to pay an unforeseen expense of at least SEK 13,000, or about 1,130 euros.

– Of these, an estimated 187,000 are single adults with children. In this group, for example, it is more common than in the general population to find it difficult to make ends meet, says Helena Månsson, researcher at the SCB, in a press release.

Can’t pay

In Sweden, 14 percent of all single parents with children live in material poverty, with 17.7 percent stating that they find it difficult, or very difficult, to make ends meet. About 13.2 percent of the same group say they are behind on payments.

Across the EU, 26 percent of all single parents with children live in material poverty.

The EU country with the highest material poverty is Romania, where 49 percent of single parents are said to belong to this group, followed by Greece with 47 percent, and Bulgaria with 46 percent.

The lowest proportion of single parents with material poverty can be found in Luxembourg, which has eight percent, and Italy, which is at 12 percent.”

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Measurement of material and social poverty

It means that one cannot afford a certain standard of living. This is measured by examining whether individuals can afford the following:

  • Can pay unforeseen expenses of at least 13,000 kronor (in 2022) without borrowing or asking for help.
  • Can afford a week's vacation per year.
  • Can pay debts: mortgages, rent, bills, installment purchases.
  • Can afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish or an equivalent vegetarian option every other day.
  • Can afford to keep the house adequately warm.
  • Has access to a car.
  • Has access to the internet.
  • Can afford to replace worn-out furniture.
  • Can afford to replace worn-out clothes.
  • Owns two pairs of shoes.
  • Can afford to spend a small amount on oneself every week.
  • Can afford to regularly participate in a recreational activity that costs money.
  • Can afford to meet family or friends for a coffee or dinner at least once a month.

An individual who cannot afford five or more of these items lives in material and social poverty. A person who cannot afford seven or more of the items lives, according to the EU's definition, in severe material and social poverty.

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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-prisoners-may-soon-be-sent-to-estonia/

Sweden

Swedish prisoners may soon be sent to Estonia

organized crime

Published today 8:32
– By Editorial Staff
Sweden will pay €8,500 per prison place per month - around €3,000 less than the cost of a Swedish place.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Swedish government has reached an agreement with Estonia to rent prison places in the city of Tartu, with the aim of relieving pressure on the heavily burdened Swedish prison system.

– The entire prison will be placed at Sweden’s disposal, confirmed Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) during a press conference.

The prison in question has capacity for 600 inmates and is expected to be operational in spring 2026, provided that the Riksdag approves the agreement and the necessary legislative changes are implemented. The agreement is scheduled to be signed this summer.

The prison in Tartu has 400 rooms, corresponds to a Swedish security class 2 facility, and is intended for male inmates over the age of 18 who are not considered to pose a high security risk.

The Prison and Probation Service will make individual assessments in each case to determine which inmates are suitable to serve their sentences in Estonia.

– The intention is that the Prison and Probation Service will assess the suitability of each individual case for serving their prison sentence in Estonia, Strömmer continues.

Swedish conditions will apply

For the agreement to enter into force, it must be approved by a three-quarters majority in the Riksdag. The government wants broad political support on this issue.

– We will invite all parties in the Riksdag to a briefing and discussion on the agreement, said the Minister of Justice.

Although Estonian law applies on site, Sweden and Estonia have agreed on exceptions to ensure that the conditions for inmates correspond as closely as possible to those in Sweden. This applies, for example, to rules on contact with the outside world, where legislation differs between the two countries.

– An overall conclusion is that there are very many similarities. This also reflects the fact that we basically have a common view on how the prison and probation service should be run, says Gunnar Strömmer.

8,500 euros per month

Henrik Vinge (SD), chair of the Committee on Justice, emphasizes that it will not make any significant difference to criminals whether they are imprisoned in Sweden or Estonia.

– The rooms will be of a similar standard and have similar equipment to living quarters in Swedish prisons.

Swedish prison staff will also be on site in Tartu to ensure that the agreement is implemented as intended.

The cost per inmate is €8,500 per month, which is significantly lower than the average cost in Sweden, which is around €11,500. However, this price does not include the cost of leave, which will be carried out in Sweden.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-prime-minister-linked-to-adoptions-of-kidnapped-children/

Sweden

Swedish prime minister linked to adoptions of kidnapped children

Published yesterday 16:55
– By Editorial Staff
Ulf Kristersson is accused of ignoring - or silencing - alerts about human trafficking and widespread corruption linked to international adoptions.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

International adoptions have long been marred by scandal. A government inquiry has confirmed serious abuse and legal uncertainty, and several left-wing activists are accusing Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of personal responsibility for ignoring warnings about child trafficking and corruption.

The Nordic TImes recently reported that government investigator Anna Singer is proposing a total ban on international adoptions to Sweden. The proposal comes after a government inquiry found that the practice has been marred by widespread abuses for a long time.

Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall has also acknowledged that it is clear that “children and parents have suffered and been harmed for decades within the framework of international adoption”. The conclusion is that the system has neither been able to protect children nor functioned in a legally secure manner.

Kristersson is also being criticized for his role in a system that allowed the adoption of children from Asia – children who in many cases are suspected of having been kidnapped from their families before being brought to the West. This has been highlighted by Fria Tider, among others.

Adoptions from China doubled

Ulf Kristersson was chairman of Adoptionscentrum (AC) between 2003 and 2005 – a period when the number of adoptions from China to Sweden doubled. Almost all children adopted from China came from similar backgrounds: they were reported to have been found abandoned on the street, with no known names or identities.

More than 20 years ago, Dagens Nyheter reported that Chinese children were being bought from hospitals and then sold on, including to Swedish adoptive families. According to DN’s investigation, this was happening on an organized scale.

The Adoptionscentrum’s then information officer, Margret Josefsson, has stated that this information was also passed on to Kristersson – without any action being taken.

Accusations of a cover-up

Adopted Korean race activist and Expo founder Tobias Hübinette writes in DN Debatt that Kristersson was warned on several occasions about suspected human trafficking from China and Chile – but chose to silence the information.

“Adoptionscentrum assured adoptive parents who had already adopted Chinese children, as well as prospective parents who were in the process of adopting from China, that the adoptions were above board”.

“During Kristersson’s chairmanship, international adoption peaked worldwide with around 40,000 adoptions to some 20 Western countries per year, mainly due to adoptions from China. However, as early as the 2000s, journalists and authorities in China revealed that international adoptions had degenerated into child trafficking, and Kristersson was aware of this, but nevertheless chose to allow AC (Adoptionscentrum) to double the number of adoptions from China to Sweden, and he himself has adopted three children from China”, he previously wrote on his blog.

Kristersson has also been accused of obstructing a government investigation into corruption in international adoptions. Among other things, the investigation wanted to limit aid and private “gifts” which, according to reports, were used as bribes in the countries of origin.

“Will he be held accountable?”

Left-wing activist and former Expo editor Lisa Bjurwald has also criticized Kristersson. In an editorial in VLT, she writes:

“Despite the alarms about stolen children, Ulf Kristersson allowed the trafficking of foreign children to not only continue but increase to its highest levels ever“.

“What exactly did he know – and will he be held accountable?” she asks.

Bjurwald points out that it is difficult to determine exactly how much Kristersson knew about the suspected human trafficking and illegal adoptions. However, she believes it is clear that the adoptions during this period were not always carried out in an ethically defensible manner, and that it was not ensured that each child was actually in need of a new family.

“It is not only the adopted men and women who need answers, but the entire Swedish people. Every dirty aspect of international adoptions must be brought to light”, she concludes.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/10000-children-living-in-homelessness-the-swedish-model-has-collapsed/

Sweden

10,000 children living in homelessness: “The Swedish model has collapsed”

Welfare collapse

Published yesterday 10:55
– By Editorial Staff
In Sweden, homeless people are not only those living on the streets - but several groups who do not have a long-term home.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Nearly 10,000 children are living in homelessness in Sweden, according to the latest report from Sveriges Stadsmissioner (Sweden’s City Missions). The organization warns that the actual number may be significantly higher and is now calling for bold political action to reverse the trend.

– We need major national reforms, says Jonas Rydberg, Secretary General of Sveriges Stadsmissioner, in an interview with TT.

Sveriges Stadsmissioner’s annual homelessness report paints a bleak picture, especially for children and young people. Almost 10,000 children do not have a safe home, and according to the National Board of Health and Welfare’s survey from 2024, at least 9,400 children are affected. However, experts believe that the reality is likely to be much bleaker than this.

– There is a large number of unreported cases, as the National Board of Health and Welfare also notes in its report. This is because many groups do not end up in the statistics. If you terminate your lease before you are evicted, you do not end up in the eviction statistics, Jonas Rydberg explains.

“The Swedish model has collapsed”

He believes that much of the problem stems from inadequate housing policy and argues that today’s housing market is not adapted to modern living conditions, especially for single parents.

– We don’t live the same way we did 50 years ago. But the housing market hasn’t kept up. It’s not unusual to be a single parent living in an apartment. Many of the people who come to us can’t afford a long-term rental contract; we’ve seen this for a long time.

The secretary general also criticizes the Swedish model of housing provision, which is based on general policy rather than targeted measures.

– Sweden’s housing policy is based on general housing provision without any special measures. If you are on a low income, there should be supplements such as housing benefits, and there should be a variety of apartments available. But it doesn’t work. Other countries have increasingly moved towards targeted measures, such as building apartments with lower rents or, in some cases, the state stepping in to subsidize rents.

– We can see that the Swedish model has collapsed. Housing benefits have been depleted for a long time. Net wages for certain groups have not kept pace. What is being built is not affordable, and not everyone has access to the housing stock. That is the big problem, he adds.

Passive politicians

The government has launched a homelessness strategy and tasked the National Board of Health and Welfare with investigating the increase in evictions and proposing measures. But Sveriges Stadsmissioner believe that this is not enough.

– The problem is that it’s piecemeal politics; it has no impact. Politicians listen, but they are unable to take joint action across party lines, says Jonas Rydberg.

The organization is therefore calling for more comprehensive measures, including more affordable housing and increased housing subsidies, so that vulnerable and economically disadvantaged families also have a chance at security and stability in their lives.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The National Board of Health and Welfare's definition of homelessness includes four different situations:

1. Acute homelessness
The person is in an immediate emergency situation and is staying overnight in shelters, emergency accommodation, shelters or similar. This includes those sleeping outdoors, in stairwells, public places, cars, tents or other temporary places without a roof over their heads.

2. Institutionalization or supported housing
The individual is staying in, for example, a correctional facility, residential care home (HVB), SiS institution, foster home, or supported housing, and is scheduled to leave within three months—but has no permanent housing to move to. It also includes those who should have already left but remain due to a lack of housing.

3. Long-term housing solutions via the municipality
The person lives in accommodation arranged by the municipality, such as a training apartment, reference apartment or social contract. These accommodations are temporary solutions for people who cannot enter the regular housing market, often with special rules or supervision.

4. Self-arranged but temporary accommodation
The person lives without a contract with friends, relatives or acquaintances, or has a short-term contract as a lodger or subtenant. This often happens after the individual has sought help from social services for their housing situation.

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-inquiry-recommends-total-ban-on-international-adoptions/

Sweden

Swedish inquiry recommends total ban on international adoptions

Published 3 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Government investigator Anna Singer notes that there have been extensive irregularities in international adoptions to Sweden
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Swedish government investigator Anna Singer is proposing a total ban on international adoptions to Sweden, following a government inquiry that found widespread abuses in the system.

The inquiry was launched after Bonnier-owned newspaper Dagens Nyheter revealed that children had been stolen from their biological parents to be adopted in Sweden. The investigation showed that both illegal adoptions and unethical practices had been going on for several decades – and that Swedish actors in some cases were aware of the problems when they occurred.

– There have been irregularities in international adoptions to Sweden, Singer said at a press conference this week.

She emphasizes that the practice has not been able to guarantee the best interests of the child, and that the risks today are unacceptable given society’s increased focus on children’s rights.

– International adoption is not a sustainable solution for protecting children as a group, she added.

“Naturally a failure”

The inquiry’s proposals include an official apology from the state to those affected, a national resource center for adoptees, and a travel allowance of SEK 15,000 (€1,400). It also proposes a gradual phasing out of adoption services and increased support for adoptees and their families.

Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M) describes the situation as a failure and says that the government now has “even greater clarity that children and parents have suffered and been harmed for decades within the framework of international adoption”.

– These revelations, both past and present, are naturally a failure.

– If adoptions are to continue in Sweden, it must also be possible to guarantee security and legal certainty in this area, she continued.

The government will now send the report for consultation to gather views from relevant authorities and organizations.

Adoptionscentrum opposes total ban

At the same time, Adoptionscentrum, Sweden’s largest adoption agency, has criticized the proposal for a total ban.

– If the alternative for a child is to grow up in an institution, I think that growing up in a safe family in another country could be in the best interests of the individual child, said Vice Chair Margret Josefsson in an interview with Swedish public television SVT’s Morgonstudion.

The investigation emphasizes that irregularities have been going on for a long time and that major changes are urgently needed to protect children’s rights.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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