Key facts
- The Sweden Democrats suffered their first electoral setback in a parliamentary election, falling to third place with a projected 17.6% of the vote.
- Immigrants in Sweden expressed relief at the election result, fearing the anti-immigration party would worsen conditions.
- The Sweden Democrats campaigned on sending home more immigrants and ending multiculturalism.
- The centre-left bloc was projected to secure a slim majority in parliament.
- The Sweden Democrats blamed tactical voting and their four-year support of the minority government for the loss.
Immigrants in Sweden expressed relief on Monday following a parliamentary election that dealt the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats their first electoral setback. The party, which has driven Swedish politics to the right on immigration issues, lost seats and fell to third place, with a projected 17.6% of the vote, down three percentage points from four years ago. This outcome potentially halts their anticipated path to government.
In Rinkeby, a Stockholm suburb with a large immigrant population, the centre-left bloc secured 94% of the votes. Kahin Ahmed, a 59-year-old sociologist from Somalia, welcomed the result, stating, "It's a huge relief." He added that people in the suburbs voted in large numbers due to fears the Sweden Democrats would worsen conditions.
The Sweden Democrats, who had supported the right-wing minority government for four years without being in the cabinet, campaigned on proposals to send more immigrants home and end multiculturalism, including a ban on traditional Islamic dress for women in public. Party leaders attributed their loss to tactical voting by supporters of other right-wing parties and acknowledged the risk of losing votes as a larger, more established party.
Silvia Kakembo, founder of the Integration Bureau, noted that the Sweden Democrats' proposals to expel immigrants and withdraw residence permits had mobilized voters against them. She interpreted the election's importance as "existential" for many.
Celil Tamturk, a 59-year-old originally from Turkey, expressed happiness with the tentative results, citing his disapproval of Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Akesson's comments on Islam and immigrants. He emphasized the significant contribution of immigrants to Sweden's functioning.
Projections indicated that left-leaning parties backing Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson would win 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament, while Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's bloc was expected to win 173 seats, according to the election authority.
Rau Amen, who moved from Iraq 44 years ago, voiced concerns about the Sweden Democrats fostering an "us versus them" mentality, stating his love for Sweden and desire for things to remain as they were.