Stockholm, Sept. 13 (SANA) Swedes began voting on Sunday in a closely contested general election that could see the far-right Sweden Democrats enter government for the first time or the left-wing opposition reclaim power.
Opposition leader Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats was among the first candidates to cast her ballot after polling stations opened at 8:00 am local time.
Andersson, who served as Sweden’s first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, said the election would determine the country’s future direction, contrasting a possible government influenced by the Sweden Democrats with one led by her party.
Opinion polls had long shown the four parties in Andersson’s left-wing bloc ahead of the four-party alliance led by conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, which includes the Sweden Democrats. However, the gap narrowed significantly in the final days of the campaign.
The election has become a test of whether the Sweden Democrats can move from parliamentary influence to a formal government role after supporting Kristersson’s minority coalition since 2022.
Crime and immigration dominate campaign
The Social Democrats have pledged to strengthen the welfare state and support households facing rising costs.
Kristersson has highlighted his government’s efforts to address organized crime and immigration, saying recent measures have contributed to a decline in deadly shootings and bombings linked to criminal networks, while asylum applications have reached record lows.
“We want to use our new and far better preconditions to improve the lives of ordinary people,” Kristersson told AFP before the vote.
His three-party minority coalition reached an agreement in 2022 with the Sweden Democrats, giving the party influence over government policy, particularly on immigration and crime, in exchange for parliamentary support.
Sweden Democrats seek government role
The Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, have moved from their far-right origins into the political mainstream over the past two decades and are seeking a direct role in government.
The party has spent the past four years as Kristersson’s main parliamentary backer, helping shape government policy, particularly on immigration and crime.
Kristersson has said the party could receive key cabinet posts if the right-wing bloc wins the election.
The rise of the Sweden Democrats has contributed to a wider shift in Sweden’s political landscape, with immigration, integration and national identity becoming central issues in political debate.
Government formation remains uncertain
Voting stations close at 8:00 pm local time, with exit polls expected after closing and initial reliable results expected several hours later.
Around eight million people are eligible to vote in the election in a country of 10.6 million people, where voter turnout regularly exceeds 80%. About half of voters cast their ballots in advance.
If the right-wing bloc wins, forming a government is expected to be relatively straightforward. However, the left-wing parties could face difficult negotiations due to differences among their members even if they secure a majority.
The four opposition parties — the Social Democrats, Greens, Left Party and Centre Party — broadly agree on strengthening welfare and public spending but differ on several policy issues.
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