Sweden’s election ‘too near name’ as far-right occasion dealt crushing blow
Sweden’s election is hanging by a thread, with the Opposition holding on to a razor-thin lead that could derail Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s plans to bring a far-right party into government
Ulf Kristersson, Sweden’s prime minister…. for now(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sweden’s election is on a knife-edge as a far-right party faces a shock drop in support that could derail the current Prime Minister’s plans to bring the controversial movement back into government.
The Scandinavian nation’s general election was too close to call early on Monday (September 14), with the left-wing opposition holding a razor-thin lead over the right-wing governing alliance led by current Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
With 92 per cent of the vote counted, Sweden’s Election Authority said the four opposition parties were heading for 175 seats in the 349-seat parliament, compared with 174 for the government alliance.
The incredibly narrow result could see former prime minister Magdalena Andersson return to office — and put an end to Kristersson’s controversial pre-election pledge to include the Sweden Democrats in his government.
Kristersson has led a minority coalition backed by the Sweden Democrats for the past four years. In return for their parliamentary support, the anti-immigration party has been able to exert influence over the government, including over its political direction.
But the Sweden Democrats have suffered a surprise fall in support, recording 17.7 percent in the initial vote count — down from 20.5 percent in 2022. It is the first time the party has lost support since entering parliament in 2010.
Sweden Democrat MP Julia Kronlid said she was disappointed that the party had failed to become the second-largest force in the polls. However, she remained optimistic that the result could still change as counting continues.
The Social Democrats bloc, led by former prime minister Andersson, was expected to secure 176 seats in Sweden’s 349-seat Riksdag. That was according to polling from 6,195 of the country’s 6,312 election districts, as per the Scandinavian nation’s election authority.
Kristersson’s right-wing governing bloc was projected to win 173 seats. Ballot counting is still underway, with final results expected on Wednesday at the earliest.
The result could deliver an upset and see Sweden return to its more traditionally liberal political heritage. It could also spell the end of Kristersson’s plans to form a majority-right coalition with the Sweden Democrats — and threaten his push for a stringent migration crackdown.
Kristersson, however, does not appear ready to go quietly into that good night, telling reporters he would explore “possibilities” given the incredibly close result.
While the election is unlikely to change Sweden’s pro-Western and pro-Ukraine stance, it could dramatically reshape the country’s domestic politics after years of far-right influence.
