Sweden election puts far-right role in government on the line

Voting is under way in Sweden’s closely contested general election, with the result set to determine whether the far-right Sweden Democrats enter government for the first time or the centre-left opposition returns to power.

Polling stations opened at 8am local time on Sunday and are due to close at 8pm. About eight million people are eligible to vote, with roughly half reported to have cast ballots in advance. Exit polls are expected after voting ends, followed by initial reliable results several hours later.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is seeking a second term at the head of a four-party right-wing alliance. His three-party centre-right coalition has governed since 2022 with parliamentary support from the Sweden Democrats, which won 20.5 per cent of the vote at the last election and became the largest party on the right.

Kristersson’s Moderates have said the Sweden Democrats could receive Cabinet posts if the right-wing bloc secures a parliamentary majority, while Kristersson would remain prime minister even if the party is stronger than his own. The Sweden Democrats’ participation therefore depends on both the electoral result and subsequent government arrangements.

The centre-left bloc is led by Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson, who became Sweden’s first female prime minister in 2021. Her party has campaigned on welfare and cost-of-living measures, while Kristersson has highlighted organised crime and immigration.

Al Jazeera reported that an earlier polling advantage for Andersson’s bloc narrowed significantly during the final days of the campaign. The next government remains unsettled until the official result and coalition negotiations are complete.