News from Danimarca

From the heroism of Gisèle Pelicot and the chances of lasting change for France, via the latest government shenanigans and the best French Christmas traditions, Inside France is our weekly looks at the news and talking points from France.

In this week’s Inside Italy review, we look into why Milan’s upcoming ban on outdoor smoking may achieve little, and whether northern Italy really is the ‘best’ part of the country to live in as quality of life reports seem to suggest.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday visited the site of a car-ramming attack on a crowded Christmas market that killed five people and injured more than 200 as he called for unity while condemning the “terrible catastrophe”.

Denmark’s usually-stable currency was left weakened on Friday after the news that pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, a major contributor to the national economy, had suffered a 20 percent devaluation of its share price.

Switzerland and the EU announced what was described as an “historic” new deal on Friday paving the way for a new relationship between them. But the agreement is far from signed and sealed and the Swiss may still scupper it.

The Swiss president Viola Amherd hailed the signing of a new deal between Switzerland and the EU on Friday as ‘good and beneficial’ for both sides, whilst EU chief Ursula von der Leyen described it as “historic”.

As France continues to roll out ‘freeflow’ toll booths – in which drivers go straight through and pay later – there are warnings of record levels of fines for late payments.

A French mayor has published a decree reminding Father Christmas that under the French labour code he has the right to take breaks, even on Christmas Eve.

Early in December, Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell in Syria, ending over 50 years of his family’s rule. Syrians in Sweden, many of whom arrived in the country after fleeing Assad in 2015, had mixed reactions to the news.

The Swedish central bank as expected cut the country’s key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points on Thursday.

Germany’s centre-right CDU and CSU have long been vociferous opponents of the dual nationality law. As the federal election draws nearer, they are pledging to revoke key parts of it.

The leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Åkesson, has said in a recent interview that not only naturalised citizens should be able to lose their Swedish citizenship, but also those born in Sweden.

The Danish Immigration Ministry is to consider a new step to the citizenship application process which would ‘screen’ the personal views of applicants.

Next year is set to bring with it some major changes for foreign students in Germany, from more financial support to more Erasmus funding for universities. Here are the top 10 changes and trends you need to know about.

The Talking France podcast is back with a new episode. This week we’re introducing you to France’s new prime minister, plus we’ll explain what to expect from Christmas in France this year, and why foreigners are struggling with a certain French admin site.

2025 is a busy year for Germany, with an election planned for February. We’ve rounded up some of the major changes and dates that foreign residents need to be aware of throughout the year.

With the appointment of centrist François Bayrou as France’s new prime minister – the fourth PM this year – John Lichfield believes that there are reasons to hope that he may succeed in a very difficult job.

From rail strikes to traffic warnings, here is the latest on travel by rail, road and air in and around France over Christmas.

Budget airline easyJet has announced five new routes to south-west France, starting in 2025.

After a year marked by rising prices and high interest rates, is there some respite ahead for budding property buyers in Spain or will prices continue to rise exponentially in 2025? This is what the experts have to say.