Sweden's election polls close: exit surveys point to a tough night for the hard right

Polling stations across Sweden closed on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in the country's parliamentary election, with initial exit polls emerging shortly afterward. France 24 broadcast live election-night coverage, with journalist Gavin Lee speaking to the channel's Scandinavia Correspondent, Trine Villeman, about how the country had voted.

Pre-election context

Ahead of the vote, on September 10, Swedish broadcaster TV4 hosted a televised debate in Stockholm featuring Prime Minister and Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson alongside Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson. The debate was among the final major campaign events before election day.

What the early signals suggest

According to France 24's election-night programme, early exit polls point to what could be a difficult night for hard-right parties. Specific numerical results were not detailed in the broadcast description, but the framing suggests a possible shift in voter sentiment compared with previous elections, in which right-wing parties had performed strongly.

Final, official results have yet to be confirmed, and in the coming days attention is expected to turn to coalition talks, depending on how seats are ultimately distributed in parliament.