Swedes vote in tight election over Sweden Democrats’ role in government
Sweden’s election centres on whether the Sweden Democrats will enter government as Ulf Kristersson seeks a second term.
Stockholm, Sweden. Swedes will vote on Sunday in a close election focused on whether the far-right Sweden Democrats should join the government, following the party’s rise from political isolation to a potential governing partner.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s centre-right coalition has pledged to include the Sweden Democrats in its bloc if it wins a majority, while the centre-left opposition warns that the party’s entry into government could threaten civil liberties.
Coalition plans
The Sweden Democrats, which have roots in the neo-Nazi fringe, were polling at around 19%, according to the latest surveys.
Kristersson is seeking a second term and plans to form a majority government with the Christian Democrats, the Liberals and the Sweden Democrats. The party has backed his government in parliament since 2022 but is demanding cabinet posts after the September election.
“We have agreed to campaign on a platform of building a common, majority government and that I will lead that government,” Kristersson told Reuters while campaigning in late August.
Opposition concerns
The centre-left opposition, led by Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson, is less closely aligned, and its parties have not yet told voters how they would form a government.
The election has in part become a referendum on the Sweden Democrats. Although the party has steadily gained support and respectability, many voters oppose the prospect of far-right ministers.
Kristersson has said Sweden needs a stable majority government to address national security and gang crime, and that including the Sweden Democrats is the only way to achieve this.
The centre-left parties want increased welfare funding, stronger climate action and measures to address widening income inequality.
Voting arrangements
Polls will be open from 0600 GMT to 1800 GMT on election day, although early voting has been available since late last month.
If the four right-wing parties secure a majority, forming a government is expected to be straightforward, as all have pledged to form an alliance.
This news item was generated automatically by Cyprus Inform from publicly available materials. Report an error →