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AzerNEWS Staff

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Sweden’s left-wing political bloc has taken the lead in the country’s general election, according to exit polls, potentially paving the way for former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson to return to office.

The four-party left-wing bloc was projected to win 51.3% of the vote, compared with 46.8% for the right-wing alliance, according to exit polls published by Swedish public broadcaster SVT and TV4.

If confirmed by the final results, the outcome would see Social Democratic leader Andersson become prime minister again, after previously holding the post from 2021 to 2022.

The result would also represent a potential setback for the Sweden Democrats (SD), the hard-right party that has played a key role in supporting Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's conservative government.

Kristersson has pledged to offer cabinet positions to his right-wing allies if he remains in power. The Sweden Democrats, which have neo-Nazi roots, entered parliament in 2010 and became Sweden's second-largest party in the 2022 election after campaigning heavily on immigration and violent crime.

Sunday's exit polls suggested that the party could lose support for the first time since entering parliament.

Swedish politics is traditionally divided between two broad blocs, with four main parties on each side. Coalition and minority governments are therefore common, meaning the final balance of seats will be crucial in determining who can form the next government.

Andersson framed the election as a choice between continued cooperation under her leadership and a government in which the Sweden Democrats would have a much more powerful role.

“Should we have a government entirely dominated by the Sweden Democrats, something that has never happened in Sweden before? Or should we have a government led by me, which will steer Sweden in a new spirit of co-operation?” she said after casting her ballot.

Kristersson, meanwhile, defended his record and urged voters to allow his alliance to continue governing.

“I think there is a genuine enthusiasm for us being able to continue our important work,” he said after voting in his home municipality of Strängnäs.

National security, gang crime and welfare spending were among the dominant issues during the campaign.

A victory for Andersson would mark a significant political shift in Sweden, while a stronger-than-expected performance by the left would also challenge the growing influence of the Sweden Democrats in national politics.

However, the exit polls are not final results, and the composition of the next government will ultimately depend on the distribution of seats in parliament and the ability of the competing blocs to secure sufficient support to govern.