What to know before the Swedish election

Sweden will hold elections on Sunday to elect lawmakers in its 349-seat parliament and local offices for the country’s 10 million people.

Early voting begins on August 24, so many will vote before Election Day.

Here is some key information about voting.

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson is trying to get her centre-left Social Democrats at the helm of the left-wing coalition but faces a formidable challenge from the right.

Sweden is known for its cradle-to-grave welfare society, and Ms Anderson wants to preserve the social protections that have long defined Sweden and reverse some of the market-oriented changes in earlier government. Her party argues that some changes, such as state subsidies for private schools, are creating greater inequality.

The once-mighty SPD has been in power since 2014, but as the party’s popularity waned from its 20th-century heyday, it was forced to preside over a weak government that relied more on other parties to pass laws, as has been the case in the past. Eight years have created political instability.

– Who is likely to win?

There are two main blocs, with four parties on the left and four on the right. Opinion polls ahead of the election show the two blocs are all but deadlocked, with unpredictable outcomes.

Under Swedish law, the party that wins the most seats forms the government. Opinion polls suggest it is likely to be Ms Anderson’s party, in which case she will first try to form a coalition government with majority support in the legislature.

But she may not be able to form a coalition if the left as a whole is underperforming. In this case, the baton will be passed to the second largest party in an attempt to form a government.

– Which side is in second place?

In the last election, in 2018, the moderates, led by the center-right party Ulf Kristersson, won the second-highest number of seats. The Conservatives promote a market economy, lower taxes, and a smaller role for government in a country with a generous welfare state backed by high taxes.

But like the Social Democrats and many other mainstream parties in Europe, moderates have also seen their support among voters drop because of populist challenges from the more right.

– Who are populists?

The Sweden Democrats, a populist right-wing party with a hardline stance on immigration and crime, first entered parliament in 2010 and have grown steadily since.

The party won 13 percent of the vote in 2018, making it the third-largest force in parliament. Opinion polls suggest Sunday’s performance is likely to improve.

Some Swedes have described the party as Trumpist, fed up with the fact that it was founded by far-right extremists decades ago, and unsure whether to believe it would transform into a more traditional conservative party.

The party is led by Jimmie Akesson, a 43-year-old former web designer who has been a driving force in attempts to soften the party’s image.

However, the party has clearly taken advantage of social sentiment. Its success can also be measured by the fact that other parties are getting closer to its position, as many Swedes feel they can no longer afford the costs of the generous refugee policies of the past and are looking to fight crime.

Once seen as pariahs, other Conservatives are increasingly willing to deal with the Sweden Democrats.

– How serious is crime in Sweden?

Some immigrants who have been welcomed in Sweden over the past few years have had difficulty integrating into Swedish society, leading to segregated communities with high crime rates.

Gang violence occurs primarily in criminal networks that are involved in drug trafficking or other illegal activities. But there have been recent cases of innocent bystanders being injured. So far this year, 48 people have been killed by firearms in Sweden, three more than in all of 2021.

Fears fueled by news of constant shootings and bombings in impoverished neighborhoods have made crime one of the most pressing issues for voters.

“There has been an increase in shootings and bombings over the past few years, and (this violence) is now considered a serious social problem. I wouldn’t say it’s as bad as Mexico, but we’re on our way,” said a researcher at Lund University in southern Sweden. Political scientist Anders Sannerstedt said.

Less than a year ago, Ms Anderson became Sweden’s first female prime minister – a belated milestone for a country that is in many ways a model for gender equality.

“I’m really proud,” said Ulrika Hoonk, 39, who voted early in Stockholm on Friday night, saying it took “too long” to happen.

Polls show Ms Anderson’s party is particularly popular with women, with men tending to vote more conservatively.

Although Ms Anderson was the first prime minister, many women still hold positions of authority. Four party leaders are women, and one party is co-led by a man and a woman. In Parliament, the gender balance has long been maintained at around 50-50.

Several women interviewed this week said ultimately having women in top leadership positions is very important to them and a factor they consider when choosing which party to support.