Sunday night, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson stated that it was too close to call the Swedish election.
Exit surveys initially anticipated victory for the existing left-wing coalition, but further findings indicated that the right-wing bloc may win by a slim margin.
Crime and community integration were important campaign concerns, and the far-right Sweden Democrats are poised to become the second-largest party.
It could take till Wednesday to count every vote.
A preliminary exit poll conducted shortly after votes closed by Sweden’s state TV indicated that Ms. Andersson’s coalition of four left-wing parties would narrowly win with 49.8 percent of the vote compared to 49.2 percent.
After 94% of electoral districts had been tabulated, the right-wing group was estimated to have won 176 of 349 parliamentary seats, putting it ahead of the left.
Due to the closeness of the race, the ultimate result may not be determined until all votes, including postal and advance ballots, are tabulated in the coming days.
Regardless of the outcome, the far-right Sweden Democrats have made huge gains and appear to be the second-largest party in the country, behind the Social Democrats.
Even if the right-wing alliance wins the most seats, it is improbable that its leader, Jimmie Akesson, will become prime minister. Instead, it seems expected that Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson will assume this position, with the Sweden Democrats wanting to join his cabinet.
Even while Swedes are accustomed to intricate coalition politics, this election has been considered nail-biting and at times perplexing by voters across the political spectrum.
There is plenty to process. It appears likely that Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democratic party will remain the largest. However, this election may be a win for the right. The Sweden Democrats, who oppose immigration, are projected to finish in second place. However, the head of the third-largest party, the Moderates, would become prime minister in a future right-wing government, as he is viewed as the most presentable candidate among the coalition of right-leaning parties hoping for a majority. As more ballots are counted, there is still a possibility that the outcome will shift.
After eight years of Social Democrat-led governments, a right-wing government in Sweden would be a significant change. This morning in a central Stockholm coffee shop, I overheard two people expressing concern about the intensifying anti-immigrant rhetoric. However, an Argentine taxi driver I spoke with said he isn’t concerned about life drastically altering, thinking that the stalemate between the right and left blocs will make it difficult for whichever group wins to enact substantial policy changes.
The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, which emerged from a neo-Nazi organization at the end of the 1980s, entered parliament in 2010 with 5.7% of the vote and increased to 17.5% in 2018. It appears likely to win this time by more than 20%.
Ulf Kristersson, the head of the Moderate Party, made a major turn in Swedish politics in 2019 by initiating talks with the Sweden Democrats, who had been shunned by other parties for decades.
The Social Democrats of Magdalena Andersson have governed Sweden since 2014 and controlled the country’s political scene since the 1930s.
It was anticipated that more than 80 percent of the country’s 7.8 million eligible voters will participate in this election.
Increasing gang shootings, immigration and integration difficulties, and growing electricity bills have dominated the election campaign.
Once confined to specific areas, the violence has now moved to parks and shopping centers, causing anxiety among regular Swedes in a country long recognized for its safety and tranquility.
