Sweden holds knife-edge election that could bring far right into government for first time
Swedes voted Sunday in a general election that will determine whether the far-right Sweden Democrats enter government for the first time or the left-wing opposition returns to power, with polls showing a near-tied race.
Polling stations opened across Sweden on Sunday for a general election that could see the far-right Sweden Democrats join a governing coalition for the first time, or hand power back to the left-wing opposition. For months, surveys gave a clear lead to the four left-wing parties over the four-party alliance led by conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, which includes the Sweden Democrats. In the campaign's final days, however, the race tightened into a virtual tie.
Magdalena Andersson, the 59-year-old leader of the centre-left Social Democrats and Sweden's first female prime minister in 2021-2022, told a Stockholm rally that voters faced a choice between a government dominated by the Sweden Democrats or one led by her. Her party, which governed Sweden for most of the 20th century and remains its largest, has campaigned on strengthening the welfare state and easing the cost-of-living burden on households.
Outgoing Prime Minister Kristersson has focused his closing message on improving everyday life for Swedes, arguing that his government's crackdown on organised crime and immigration has already delivered results — violence has fallen sharply in recent years and asylum applications have hit a record low. He told AFP his coalition wants to use these improved conditions to raise living standards for ordinary Swedes.
Kristersson's three-party minority coalition struck a 2022 deal giving the Sweden Democrats influence over immigration and crime policy in exchange for parliamentary support. Party leader Jimmie Akesson, who has led the far-right movement for more than two decades, is now aiming to enter government outright. Kristersson has pledged the Sweden Democrats key cabinet posts should the right-wing bloc win, with Akesson tipped to take the migration portfolio.
Voting ran from 8:00am to 8:00pm local time, with exit polls released at closing and definitive results expected several hours later. About eight million of Sweden's 10.6 million residents are eligible to vote, and turnout typically exceeds 80 percent; roughly half of voters cast ballots in advance. Analysts note that a right-wing victory would make government formation relatively straightforward, whereas the ideologically divided left-wing parties would face difficult negotiations even with a majority.
