Left opposition takes 176-seat lead in Swedish election as Sweden Democrats lose ground
Sweden's left-led opposition holds a three-seat advantage over the ruling right-wing bloc with 95% of votes counted, while the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats recorded their first vote share decline since entering parliament.
The parliamentary balance
Sweden's red-green opposition bloc secured a narrow lead in the general election held on 13 September 2026, positioning former prime minister Magdalena Andersson for a potential return to office. With approximately 95% of electoral districts counted by Monday morning, four opposition parties hold 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, compared to 173 seats for the governing right-wing coalition led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. A minimum of 175 seats is required to command a working parliamentary majority. The margin between the two blocs stood at roughly 0.3% of the vote during earlier stages of counting, narrowing substantially from initial exit poll projections.
- Opposition alliance
- 176 seats
- Right-wing alliance
- 173 seats
Party results and voter shifts
Andersson's Social Democrats remained Sweden's largest political party with 28.1% of counted ballots, despite recording their lowest national share in a century. Kristersson's Moderate Party obtained 19.9% of the vote. The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, dropped to 17.5% from 20.5% in the 2022 general election, marking their first electoral decline since entering the Riksdag in 2010. Among other parties, the Left Party secured 8.2% and the Centre Party received 7.1%. Exit poll voter migration data indicated that 12% of voters who supported Kristersson in 2022 moved to the opposition, with half of them switching directly to the Social Democrats following Kristersson's announcement that he would consider offering cabinet posts to the Sweden Democrats.
- Social Democrats
- 28.1 %
- Moderate Party
- 19.9 %
- Sweden Democrats
- 17.5 %
- Left Party
- 8.2 %
- Centre Party
- 7.1 %
Party leaders address the outcome
Both party leaders addressed supporters in Stockholm as the preliminary count consolidated on Monday morning. Andersson stated that her party was prepared to assume executive responsibility after two years in opposition.
Right now, we are ahead. And if this is confirmed, Sweden will have a new government.
Kristersson acknowledged the opposition lead while pointing out substantial policy disagreements between the Left Party and the Centre Party. He maintained that the parliamentary balance remains uncertain until all ballots are processed.
Therefore, even if tonight's result remains as it is, I will examine whether there is room for a non-socialist parliamentary majority, to find some viable government format.
He added that the question of which government will exercise power in Sweden over the coming years remains open.
Counting late and overseas ballots
The Swedish Election Authority indicated that preliminary totals will not be finalized until Wednesday or Thursday, once late postal ballots, overseas votes, and advance ballots are fully processed. Political science professor Henrik Ekengren Oscarsson noted that late-arriving and overseas ballots carry enough volume to alter seat balances in tightly contested districts. At 59% of the count, the gap between the two blocs was separated by approximately 20,000 votes. County administrative boards will conduct a complete recount across all districts starting one week after election day, establishing the certified distribution of parliamentary seats before formal speaker-led negotiations begin.
