Story perspectives

Sweden election puts blocs in 50.8%-47.6% race

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 2:26 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Sweden held a general election on Sunday, September 13 2026, to fill the 349-seat Riksdag.
Ulf Kristersson pledged key cabinet posts to Sweden Democrats if his coalition stayed in power.
A September 12 poll showed the left-wing bloc at 50.8% versus the right-wing bloc’s 47.6%.
Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson was expected to become migration minister in a right-wing government.
Both electoral alliances reaffirmed support for Ukraine and Sweden’s NATO membership.

History

Historical Context

The 2010 election gave the Sweden Democrats their first Riksdag seats, winning 5.7% of the vote and 20 seats and leaving the centre-right Alliance two seats shy of a majority, prompting Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt to reject any coalition. That breakthrough created leverage the party wields, as Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson now promises cabinet posts in the 2026 race while both blocs back NATO and Ukraine.

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Story summary

Sweden held a general election on Sunday, September 13 2026, to fill the 349-seat Riksdag.
Ulf Kristersson pledged key cabinet posts to Sweden Democrats if his coalition stayed in power.
A September 12 poll showed the left-wing bloc at 50.8% versus the right-wing bloc’s 47.6%.
Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson was expected to become migration minister in a right-wing government.
Both electoral alliances reaffirmed support for Ukraine and Sweden’s NATO membership.

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