March 19, 2026: Riksbank Holds Rates, Hospital Tech Crisis, and Crackdown on Forced Marriages

In today's bulletin, we discuss Sweden's central bank deciding to maintain its main interest rate at 1.75 percent amid a fragile global economic landscape. We also cover the major software rollout issues in Swedish hospitals that are sparking concerns over patient safety, particularly regarding upcoming cancer treatment features. Finally, we explore the new government proposal aimed at cracking down on honor-based violence by banning the recognition of foreign child, cousin, and plural marriages. Keywords: - Styrränta: [stʏrˈrɛ̌nːta] Key interest rate. The main interest rate set by the Riksbank, currently held at 1.75 percent. - Sjukvård: [ˈɧʉ̂ːkvoːɖ] Healthcare. Refers to the medical staff and hospitals currently struggling with the new digital records system. - Månggifte: [ˈmɔ̂ŋˌjɪftɛ] Plural marriage. One of the types of foreign marriages Sweden plans to stop recognizing under the new proposal. - Tvångsäktenskap: [ˈtvɔ̂ŋsɛktɛnˌskɑːp] Forced marriage. The act of forcing someone to marry against their will, which will see harsher punishments. Click here to download the full transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l2yTxH-qSHtR0iBhZ7plkc7OkJcSwBGr/view?usp=sharing