Swedish General Election 2026

Sweden’s natural party of government, the Social Democrats look set to oust the centre-right coalition of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, comprising his Moderate Party, along with the Liberals and the Christian Democrats

The Social Democrats are the country’s largest party, but the second largest, the ultra-nationalist Sweden Democrats, have changed the Sweden’s political landscape. While they have never held a cabinet position, they have supported and influenced the incumbent conservative administration on issues such as immigration and law and order. Characteristic of such parties throughout Europe, their social base is provincial rather than metropolitan.

Although described as ‘far right’, in Political Compass terms the Sweden Democrats are economically far from extreme. On the left-right (economic) scale, they uphold some of the key values of Sweden’s social democratic establishment — particularly in the field of welfare provisions and opposition to neoliberalism. The difference is that the Sweden Democrats, rooted in racist movements, only want to give a helping hand to native Swedes. It is in their social attitudes that the controversial party’s extremism can be found. Until 1999, for example, they advocated the return of Sweden’s long-abolished capital punishment. It remains popular among more of its members than those of other parties.

The biggest question is whether the Social Democrats wil manage to govern alone, or count on a coalition of perhaps the Greens, the Centre Party and the Left Party. While the socially liberal Swedish Greens are more accommodating towards market solutions than their sister parties in some other countries, the agrarian, pro-business Centre Party and the pro-public ownership, pro-higher corporate tax Left Party would be uneasy bedfellows.

The Social Democrats remain attached to social justice and fair play, and have been sharply critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The expected new administration of party leader Magdalena Andersson is likely to adpt a more outspoken view on the world stage, though somewhat more cautiously then the ‘Swedish third way’ policies of the long-gone Olaf Palme era.

Our chart has been compiled with reference to speeches, manifestos and, where applicable, voting records. Should significant policy changes be announced during the campaign, the chart will be updated accordingly.

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