Swedish election neck-and-neck as left bloc holds narrow lead
Polls show the left-wing bloc ahead by a few points ahead of the right-wing coalition, while Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has pledged cabinet posts for the Sweden Democrats if his government continues.
Swedish voters will choose between two broad coalitions on Sunday, with the left-wing bloc holding a slight edge in recent surveys. A poll commissioned by the news service Ekot gave the left bloc 50.8% of the vote versus 47.6% for the right, a margin of 3.2%. The Social Democrats, who lead the left grouping, are projected at 28.6%, while the Sweden Democrats, the largest party on the right, are at 18.3%.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who heads the current centre-right government, has indicated that his cabinet would include members of the Sweden Democrats should he remain in office. The Sweden Democrats have previously supported the coalition from outside the government and have not held ministerial posts.
Key issues in the campaign include national security, gang crime and welfare spending. The Sweden Democrats have faced controversy over allegations that a party official posted pro-Russian content on social media; Kristersson said the official would be dismissed if the claims are verified, and party leader Jimmie Åkesson said an investigation is under way.
Nicholas Aylott, an associate professor of political science at Södertörn University, told the BBC that a Sweden Democrat presence in government would mark a further step toward normalising the party, though he noted it is not the primary concern for most voters. He added that some centre-right supporters might shift to the opposition over the prospect of Sweden Democrat ministers, potentially influencing the final result.