Sweden has a far-right too

Far right political parties are making their presence felt in many parts of Europe - even in the "liberal" heartland of Scandinavia. Recent elections in Sweden have given the country's far right party, the Sweden Democrats, some unwelcome power, especially if you're an asylum seeker. Radio Sweden's Mark Cummins told Network Europe it’s tricky to nail down exactly what the Sweden Democrats stand for.

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Tags political extremism, politics, sweden

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There's a general election in the Netherlands next week and although there's little chance of it making waves across Europe - it's suddenly livened up Dutch public life. Dreary campaign manifestos have given way to good old-fashioned personality politics and slanging matches. If you don't know who's in the current Dutch government or why you should care, don't worry. Radio Netherlands' Andy Clark tells Network Europe who the major players in Dutch politics are and how they've been insulting each other. 

Germany's far-right National Democratic Party held a convention last weekend that sparked debate about whether or not to try to ban them. An effort was made to do just that 3 years ago but the whole plan was scuppered when it came to light that some of the intelligence agents who'd infiltrated the party undercover had got a little too into character and were shown to be involved in provoking some of the behaviour being complained about. Some politicians in Germany want to muzzle the party, but are asking if a ban is either useful or realistic? 

Pan-European aeroplane manufactuers Airbus have started test flying their new A380 super jumbo from France this week. And Asia’s largest budget carrier said on Wednesday that it was considering ordering another 60 A 320 planes. But Airbus's staff and suppliers are worried about the future. The finished planes are being delivered up to two years late because of production problems. So now costs are being cut and maybe jobs too. This week French Prime minister Dominique de Villepin went to Toulouse, in southern France, promising he wouldn't let Airbus down. Radio France International's Nick Champeaux went with him. 

In the Second World War the Polish capital, Warsaw was all but flattened and rebuilding the Old Town was the largest renovation project in the history of Europe. Now the town of Lodz has just started the next biggest project of this kind. Lodz is Poland's second largest city but isn't usually on tourists' to-do lists. But it might be now. The town's Manufaktura complex has had a huge makeover.