Sweden’s Election: A Turning Point in European Politics

As Sweden prepares for its upcoming election, the nation finds itself at a pivotal moment. This election could shape the future of Sweden, NATO’s newest member, and marks a significant point in Europe’s shifting political landscape.

In recent times, right-wing populist parties have been gaining traction across Europe. Sweden reflects this trend as it navigates voter concerns about immigration. The upcoming election sees Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right coalition competing against a center-left bloc led by former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s Social Democrats. Central to the election is whether the right-wing Sweden Democrats will secure government roles for the first time.

The Sweden Democrats have a history rooted in extreme-right ideologies but have shifted towards mainstream politics. Entering the parliament in 2010, the party rose to become the second-largest by 2022. It supported Kristersson’s minority government without holding cabinet positions, influencing policies on immigration and crime. Currently, Kristersson proposes including Sweden Democrats in ministerial roles, contingent on a right-wing coalition victory.

The election examines the Sweden Democrats’ journey from the fringes to political legitimacy. “There has been a shift of focus, which has gone from the true political challenges to who is going to sit in the government,” Andreas Önnerfors, professor at Linnaeus University, stated to CBS News.

Recent polls show a tight race. An Indikator Opinion poll from September 2 to 10 puts the center-left at 50.8%, while the right-wing stands at 47.6%.

From Fringe to Mainstream

Historically, Sweden’s established parties distanced themselves from the Sweden Democrats due to its extremist origins. In 2018, Kristersson assured Holocaust survivor Hédi Fried of no cooperation with the party. Acknowledging its past connections to neo-Nazi and white supremacist movements, the party, under Jimmie Åkesson’s leadership since 2005, has moved to moderate its image, expelling extremists and aspiring to be seen as a conventional right-wing entity.

Their strategy includes advocating for deportation of illegal residents, stricter citizenship laws, mandatory newcomer assimilation, and social security restrictions for non-citizens. Their approach blends traditional right-wing stands with policies appealing to working-class voters.

“They have merged typical right-wing positions with typical Labour or Social Democratic positions — social security and benefits and things like that. That makes sense among ordinary people,” Önnerfors remarked.

Immigration and Crime: Central Voter Concerns

The Sweden Democrats have made immigration and crime pivotal issues in Swedish politics. This reflects broader societal changes and voter perceptions. “Swedish politics has clearly moved in a more restrictive direction on issues such as immigration and crime,” Niklas Bolin, a political scientist at Mid Sweden University, confirmed to CBS News.

Though centered on the right, even the Social Democrats have adapted to this shift. Sweden once saw a high inflow of asylum seekers, with 163,000 applications during the 2015 migration crisis, among the highest per capita in Europe. Since then, integration challenges and rising gang violence have reshaped national politics.

The government indicates asylum seekers are now at their lowest since 1985. Police report a decrease in gang shootings, from 391 incidents in 2022 to 158 in 2025, with the trend continuing this year.

Bolin noted the Sweden Democrats’ stable voter base: “Immigration and dissatisfaction with integration remain important explanations, but their support is also linked to concerns about crime and a broader dissatisfaction with established parties.” Their backing “is particularly strong among men, working-class voters, and voters outside the larger cities.”

Sweden’s election tests how much its politics have altered, particularly for a nation long known for low crime, a generous welfare state, and open attitudes toward immigration and egalitarian values. As the country votes, it assesses if a historically marginalized party will enter the center of governmental power.