Key facts
- Swedes vote Sunday in a tight election that could see the far-right Sweden Democrats join the government.
- Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's ruling bloc aims to secure a second term with the support of the Sweden Democrats.
- The Sweden Democrats have around 19% of the vote according to latest polls.
- The Liberal party has risen above parliament's 4% threshold, easing concerns about its representation.
- The center-left opposition, led by Magdalena Andersson, holds a narrowing lead in some polls.
STOCKHOLM, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Swedes will vote on Sunday in a tight election that has effectively become a referendum on whether the far-right Sweden Democrats should join the government. The party, with roots in the neo-Nazi fringe, has around 19% of the vote according to the latest polls.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's ruling centre-right minority coalition has vowed to bring the Sweden Democrats into its bloc to secure a second term. Kristersson has credited his cooperation with Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Akesson since 2022 for delivering growth, lower energy and food prices, reduced gang crime, and record lows in asylum numbers. He has promised to deepen ties and give the party cabinet positions after the Sept. 13 vote.
The election will determine if Swedish voters want to deepen a political shift that has already altered decades of consensus on immigration and national identity, leading to tougher policies on integration, citizenship, and border controls. Over the last four years, the government has abolished permanent residency for refugees, tightened welfare rules, and boosted expulsions.
Despite a consensus on tight immigration policies, polls indicate a knife-edge vote, with the centre-left opposition, backing Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson for prime minister, holding a small but narrowing lead. Birgitta Ohlsson, a Center Party lawmaker, warned that the Sweden Democrats entering government would have a "ten times worse" negative impact on liberal ideals than their current influence outside government.
The rise of parties like the Sweden Democrats has reshaped Europe's political landscape, with similar parties sharing power in Finland, Italy, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. Some analysts suggest the election may be a recognition of Akesson's success in shedding the party's extremist baggage, as the party apologized in 2025 for past neo-Nazi and antisemitic views. However, critics fear the Sweden Democrats' platform could deepen social divisions and shift the political center further right.