Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Sweden could face a prolonged period of political uncertainty after preliminary election results showed the left-leaning opposition holding a narrow lead over the governing conservative bloc, while a hard-right anti-immigration party lost ground.

With nearly 95% of electoral districts counted, the Swedish Election Authority said four opposition parties were projected to win 176 of the 349 seats in the Riksdag, Sweden’s parliament. The four parties that make up or support the outgoing conservative-led government were projected to secure 173 seats.

The three-seat margin leaves the final outcome far from settled. Early votes, including ballots cast overseas that had not reached polling stations by Election Day, are due to be counted on Wednesday and could affect the balance of power.

The result means Sweden may have to wait before it becomes clear which political bloc can assemble a governing majority and who will lead the country for the next four years.

The election is also being closely watched because Sweden joined NATO in 2024, making the composition of its next government significant for the alliance’s newest member.

The hard-right anti-immigration party, which had emerged as an increasingly influential force in Swedish politics, appeared to have suffered a setback, although its final result could still influence coalition negotiations.

With neither bloc holding a clear majority on the preliminary count, Sweden now faces potentially difficult negotiations over the formation of its next government.