Sweden’s far-right bloc leads the tightly contested elections

Europe, News September 13, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

With 95% of the ballots counted, the bloc of four far-right parties led by the Swedish opposition leader Ulf Kristersson has gained a razor-thin lead and appears to be on course to defeat the left-wing bloc led by the Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

An official result for the September 11 elections is expected to come out on September 14, after the overseas votes have been counted, however, the overseas votes are not expected to make much difference to the current result.

Based on the results after 95% results, the Moderates-led bloc of four parties has won 175 of the total 349 seats while the Social Democrat-led bloc of four parties is slightly behind with 174 seats.

If the results continue to follow the current pattern, the right-wing bloc of four parties would secure a razor-thin parliamentary majority which would be enough to form the government.

Although Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrat Party emerged to be the big winner in the general elections, accounting for 30.9% of the total parliamentary representation, the left-wing bloc of Social Democrats, Center Party, Green Party, and Left Party did not manage to gain enough lead collectively to form the government.

Sweden Elections IRIA — *^{Sweden elections 2022 breakdown, according to Swedish Election Authority. (Image Credit: IRIA)}*

Sweden Democrats emerged as the second largest party in the elections by winning 73 (20.9%) of the 349 seats in the parliament, even leaving behind the bloc leader Moderates.

Who are the Sweden Democrats?

Sweden Democrats is a described far-right nationalist party that was founded in 1988. Based on its extremist nationalist-conservative roots, the party is characterized by many analysts and academics as an anti-immigration and anti-Islam political party. Since taking over the party leadership in 2005, Jimmie Akesson has tried to tone down the party’s image. He even replaced the old torch logo with a blue flower.

Many of the party’s senior officials have not been shy about expressing their views about the ‘Islamization’ of Sweden during the election campaign. They openly blamed the immigrants and especially Muslim immigrants for many of the social and economic problems that Sweden is facing right now. The 43-year-old leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, now holds a strong position in the race to become the country’s next Prime Minister.

“We are now the second biggest party in Sweden and it looks it’s going to stay that way,” party leader Jimmie Akesson told his supporters after the unofficial results of 95% ballots came out. “We know now that if there’s going to be a shift in power, we will be having a central role in that,” he said. “Our ambition is to be in the government.”

*^{The leader of the Sweden Democrats Jimmie Akesson. (Image Credit: Jimmie Åkesson Facebook)}*

Political commentators and experts on European politics have expressed their concerns about the increasing popularity and dangers of the far-right political groups in Sweden. Leader of the Centre Party Annie Loof commented on the results by stating that “I find it worrying that a xenophobic party has gained so much ground.”

After the official results are out on September 14, Sweden would go through a lengthy process of forming a government. Parties from the winning bloc would negotiate on a common government formations program. Leader of the Moderate Party Ulf Kristersson and Leader of the Sweden Democrats Jimmie Akesson are top candidates for Prime Minister’s office.