Swedish election: Kristersson versus Andersson – right-wing populists could enter government for the first time

Will Ulf Kristersson remain Sweden's Prime Minister - or will his predecessor, the Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson, return to office? This Sunday the Swedes will elect a new parliament. Around eight million people are called upon to vote.

Long before the election, the opposition was well ahead in polls. But now the race for power is becoming closer than expected. The election campaign focused, among other things, on the country's challenges with migration, gang crime and harsher punishments. But also the question of whether the right-wing populists in Sweden could become part of a government for the first time.

Kristersson and the fight against the gangs

Kristersson's coalition of his Conservatives, Christian Democrats and Liberals has already governed in recent years with the support of the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. Four years ago, the government made it its mission to put a stop to deadly gang violence. And she now speaks of a success story: the number of shootings has decreased.

Nevertheless, the so-called conservative party bloc wants to further tighten relevant laws and advocates harsher punishments than the left-wing bloc led by Andersson. The Social Democrats have also promised to combat gang crime - but are facing headwinds from the Left and the Greens when it comes to the toughest measures.

The conservative and left-wing blocs disagree on matters such as energy supply. While Andersson advocates for an expansion of wind power, Kristersson says: “More wind is not the answer to Sweden's problem. Nuclear power is the solution.”

The fight against unemployment, the healthcare system and the cost of living also played a larger role in the election campaign.

Right-wing populists could become part of the government for the first time

More than two million Swedes have already checked their box in advance. Traditionally, the Social Democrats are by far the strongest force in Sweden. However, it is difficult to predict before the election which coalition will ultimately come out on top. Regardless of the result, the parties are threatened with a complicated government formation, because there has also been disagreement within the blocs recently.

Prime Minister Kristersson had also announced that the Sweden Democrats could become part of his future government. The country's problems with gang crime had already played into the party's hands in the last election in 2022. With a record result, the right-wing populists overtook Kristersson's Moderaterna as the second strongest force in parliament for the first time - and have since supported the conservative minority government as a majority driver.

A participation in government by the Sweden Democrats would be an absolute novelty in Sweden. However, a major upheaval is not to be expected, said political scientist and Northern Europe expert Tobias Etzold: “The real breaking of the taboo took place four years ago when the conservative parties said: We are working as a minority government with the Sweden Democrats.”