Swedish party blocs tied after Sunday vote, projections say

What the report says

Sweden’s general election remained on a knife-edge on Sunday, with early projections and partial counting indicating that the country’s two main political blocs were almost level. According to Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT, with half of the votes counted the gap between the blocs was only about 20,000 votes. BBC World News reported that exit polls had previously suggested a slight lead for the left-leaning bloc headed by Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson.

The contest is effectively a race between Andersson’s camp and the four-party conservative bloc led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Kristersson has governed with support from the Sweden Democrats, a hard-right party that has been controversial because of its origins and its long focus on immigration and crime. BBC World News said partial results suggested the Sweden Democrats may have lost support for the first time since entering parliament in 2010.

The result matters because coalition building is central to Swedish politics, where minority and multi-party governments are common. Andersson is seeking to return to the prime minister’s office after serving in 2021-22, while Kristersson has argued for continuing his alliance’s work. The campaign has been shaped by concerns over national security, gang crime and welfare spending, making the final balance of power important for the next government’s direction.