Sweden heads to polls as right-wing bloc seeks majority with Sweden Democrats

Tight race for parliamentary majority

More than 8 million eligible voters from a total population of approximately 10.6 million will cast ballots on Sunday, 13 September 2026. Swedish citizens will elect the 349 members of the Riksdag, who will subsequently vote on the country's next prime minister. The contest pits incumbent Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, the leader of the Moderate Party, against Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson. Andersson seeks to return to the premiership after spending four years as the head of the parliamentary opposition.

Recent polling points to a narrow margin between the two opposing political blocs. A survey conducted by Dagens Nyheter and Ipsos estimates a difference of 0.3 percentage points, projecting 175 seats for the centre-left opposition and 174 seats for the right-wing bloc. While earlier polling had recorded a lead of 10 percentage points for the centre-left coalition, measurements in the final days of the campaign show that the gap has closed substantially.

Sweden Democrats seek cabinet roles

A central question of the election is whether the far-right Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, will enter the government as formal cabinet partners. In 2022, Kristersson formed a minority government that relied on the parliamentary support of the party. Kristersson has now pledged to allocate ministerial portfolios to Sweden Democrats members if the right-wing bloc wins a parliamentary majority.

The Sweden Democrats have worked to distance themselves from their roots in the neo-Nazi movement while expanding their influence over government legislation. The right-wing bloc has gained ground in polling due in part to the campaign by Kristersson, which focused on economic performance and reductions in crime rates. In addition, the Liberal Party has polled above the 4% threshold required to enter the Riksdag, a result that remains necessary for a centre-right coalition to assemble a majority.

Policy debates on crime and migration

Immigration and criminal justice policy have become primary focal points in the election campaign. The platform of the Sweden Democrats includes measures to further reduce immigration, revoke permanent residency permits, and counter what the party terms anti-Swedish sentiment under the slogan of making Sweden Sweden again. Recent policies in Sweden have already introduced stricter criminal justice rules, including the deportation of minors, lowering the age of criminal responsibility, and housing 14-year-old offenders in adult prisons. Andersson and the Social Democrats have also moved toward more restrictive policies on both crime and immigration.

Legal and human rights specialists have stated that a victory for the right-wing bloc could affect Sweden's international standing regarding human rights. John Stauffer, legal director of Civil Rights Defenders, noted the scale of recent policy adjustments.

What we have seen over the last four years are massive changes regarding crime and migration policies.

European political landscape

The Swedish election takes place during broader political shifts across Europe. The vote follows regional election victories in Germany by the Alternative for Germany party, while Marine Le Pen currently leads polling for the French presidential election scheduled for next year. Recent aggregate figures place the Swedish centre-left coalition at 50.3% against 47.9% for the right-wing coalition and the Sweden Democrats. Once polling stations close on Sunday evening, the seat distribution in the Riksdag will determine whether Andersson returns to office or Kristersson forms a government containing Sweden Democrats ministers.