Sweden’s left-leaning opposition has secured a narrow majority in the country’s national election, winning 176 of the 349 seats in the Riksdag, according to the completed vote count.
The result gives the opposition bloc a three-seat advantage over the conservative-led governing bloc, which secured 173 seats. The final tally confirms a closely contested election and sets the stage for negotiations over the formation of Sweden’s next government.
Former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, leader of the Social Democrats, is now positioned to seek a return to the prime minister’s office after four years in opposition. The Social Democrats remained the largest single party, although their share of the vote declined compared with the 2022 election.
The election result ends the governing period led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, whose center-right coalition relied on support from the Sweden Democrats to maintain its parliamentary position.
The Sweden Democrats recorded a decline in their vote share, falling to about 17.5%, compared with 20.5% in the 2022 election. The party finished behind Kristersson’s Moderates in the preliminary results.
Despite the opposition’s parliamentary majority, forming a government could still require negotiations among the parties within the left-leaning bloc. Differences over policy and cooperation arrangements could affect how the next government is structured.
The election took place against a backdrop of debates over immigration, crime, the cost of living, economic policy and Sweden’s security position. The country is also a member of NATO and the European Union, with broad political support for its pro-Western and pro-Ukraine orientation.
The completed count confirms the opposition’s narrow parliamentary majority, but the transition to a new government will depend on coalition negotiations and the formal political process that follows the election.
Swifteradio.com
