Sweden election puts Sweden Democrats’ government role in play
A close contest could bring the Sweden Democrats into government for the first time or return the centre-left opposition to power.
Sweden’s general election is being contested between Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s four-party right-wing alliance and the centre-left opposition led by Magdalena Andersson.
The result could determine whether the Sweden Democrats, described as far right by France 24, enter government for the first time. A centre-left victory could return Andersson to the prime ministership.
Opinion polling shifted over the summer from a comfortable lead for the centre-left to a tight race. The movement does not establish an electoral outcome, but it has sharpened the question of how the Sweden Democrats will exercise influence after the vote.
The party’s ideas are reported to have gained ground since the 2022 election, when Kristersson became prime minister. The Sweden Democrats are part of the four-party alliance supporting his government.
About eight million people are eligible to vote. The election’s institutional consequence will depend not only on which bloc performs best, but also on whether the Sweden Democrats enter government or support the governing coalition from outside it.
