Sweden election 'very close' as left bloc claims tight lead

Sweden's election was too close to call after more than 86% of ballots had been counted on Sunday night.

Former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, whose Social Democrats lead a left-wing opposition coalition and is hoping to return to power after four years, said early on Monday morning that "it looks like it will be very close."

"We Social Democrats will always be ready to assume responsibility for the result... For now, we are in the lead. And if that is confirmed, Sweden will have a new government," she told supporters.

Incumbent Ulf Kristersson, who leads a right-wing alliance that includes the far-right Sweden Democrats, said hr would reach out to other party leaders for discussions, and that it was unclear who would be governing the country.

A victory by the right-wing bloc would bring the far-right Sweden Democrats into government for the first time. 

Leftist bloc sees pre-poll lead cut as election neared

Ahead of the election, opinion polls had predicted an easy win for the left-wing alliance over the right-wing group led by incumbent Kristersson.

But the four-party opposition alliance had seen that lead narrow as election day approached.

"We all knew it was going to be a very close election; I've said that all along," Andersson, the first woman to serve as Swedish Prime Minister in 2021-2022, told a rally in the Swedish capital Saturday.

"Now it's up to voters: do they want a government that will be totally dominated by the Sweden Democrats, or do they want a government led by me?"

What do we know about the main parties in Sweden's election?

The Social Democrats have governed in Sweden for most of the last century and remain the country's largest party.

The left-wing bloc has promised to boost the welfare state and address rising costs.

Kristersson's campaign has focused on his government's record of reducing violent and organized crime and clamping down on immigration.

A victory at the ballot box on Sunday would suggest voters approve of that approach, supporters of the right-wing bloc say. Critics have denounced the agenda as undermining civil liberties and unfairly targeting immigrants.

"We can unify parties, voters and issues into joint action. That's why ​we get things ‌done," Kristersson said this week in parliament.

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Far right could enter government for first time

Unlike in Germany, where most parties have ruled out working with the far-right Alternative for Germany as part of the political "firewall", Kristersson has promised the Sweden Democrats key government posts if his alliance wins.

The leader of the far-right party, Jimmie Akesson, told a campaign rally in Stockholm on Saturday that the Sweden Democrats "have already won," as the party eyes power for the first time since entering parliament in 2010.

"Sweden is becoming safer, better, and more Swedish," the 47-year-old said.

Akesson is expected to be given the role of migration minister if the right-wing alliance wins on Sunday.

Eight million people are eligible to vote in a country of 10.6 million people. Turnout regularly exceeds 80% in Sweden.

Polling stations close at 8 p.m. (1900 UTC). The first results will be expected several hours later on Sunday night.

Around half of the votes have already been cast in advance.

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Edited by: Wesley Dockery and Kieran Burke

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