A historic change in the Swedish vote could bring the anti-immigration party to power

With about 78% of the territories counted, the Sweden Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Liberals could win 175 seats in the Riksdag (Parliament), compared to 174 for the center-left led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

Sweden has long prided itself on its tolerance and openness, but now radical discourse appears to have taken center stage in this Sunday’s election.

“Now, for the first time, we have a real chance, a real chance to be, not just an opposition party, but to participate and be an active part in a new government that is taking politics in a whole new direction,” said Richard Jomshof, the secretary of the Sweden Democrats.

Previously, an exit poll conducted by the public broadcaster SVT gave Andersson’s center-left bloc 49.8% of the vote, compared to 49.2% for the right-wing opposition parties.

“Right now it looks like there will be a change of power,” Jimmie Akesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, said in a speech to party members, adding that his ambition is “to be part of a new government.”

Opinion polls showed a likely tie for much of the campaign and exit polls may differ from the final result. With the counting of the votes abroad and some votes by mail, and with a very narrow margin between the two blocs, the result could still change and it would be entirely clear until the middle of the week.

The Social Democratic Party, made up of leftists, environmentalists and centrists, led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, showed an advantage in the first exit polls.

“I have voted for a Sweden in which we continue to play to our strengths. Our ability to tackle society’s problems together, form a sense of community and respect each other,” Andersson said after voting in a Stockholm suburb.

Andersson was economy minister for several years before becoming the first woman to lead Sweden a year ago. Her main rival, the leader of the moderates, Ulf Kristersson, had stood in the election as the only candidate who could unite the right and remove her from office.

In all the polls, the extreme right-wing SD, a political force with neo-Nazi roots, is for the first time in its history as the second force with more than 20% of the votes, leaving behind the Moderate Party (conservative).

Its leader, Ulf Kristersson, is trying to seize power from a Social Democratic Executive worn out by two legislatures governing in the minority.

Sweden Democrats, in search of voice and vote

If the trend is confirmed, it would break the “sanitary cordon” that the rest of the parties applied to the far-right SD since its arrival in Parliament in 2010 and that explains the triumphs of the Social Democrats in the last two legislatures, despite the center-right majority in the Camera.

In the last election, it even took a pact between the Social Democrats and their environmental allies with centrists and liberals, breaking the center-right alliance that had existed since 2004, to keep the SD isolated.

The far-right party has been promoting a discourse against immigration for some years and blaming foreigners for crime problems.

Now, for many voters on the centre-left, and even some on the right, the fact that the Sweden Democrats have a say in government policy or enter the cabinet is unsettling.

“I am afraid there will be a repressive and right-wing government,” said Malin Ericsson, 53, a travel consultant, after voting in central Stockholm on Sunday.

Although others support a change in government. “I have voted for a change in power,” Jorgen Hellstrom, 47, a small business owner, said as he voted near parliament. “Taxes have to come down quite a bit and crime needs to be fixed. The last eight years have gone in the wrong direction.”

Public order has been the playing field of the right, while economic problems affecting households and businesses, facing skyrocketing electricity prices, propelled security-linked Prime Minister Andersson economical and even more popular than his party. Andersson is the best valued politician in the country, according to polls, something that the Social Democratic Party knew how to capitalize on.

The campaign was marked by the fight against organized crime, after a constant increase in shootings that unsettled voters, as well as rising inflation and the energy crisis after the invasion of Ukraine.

complex alliances

Kristersson said earlier that he would seek to form a government with the Small Christian Democrats and possibly the Liberals, and that he would only have the support of the Swedish Democrats in Parliament, something that worries the centre-left.

For his part, Andersson would have to enlist the support of the ideologically opposed center and left parties, and probably also the Green Party, if he wants to continue as head of state.

With Reuters and EFE