Sweden holds vote expected to boost populist anti-immigration party
- The right-wing Sweden Democrats party promises to crack down on shootings and other gang violence that have shaken many people’s sense of security
- Polls predicted the Sweden Democrats would take about 20 per cent of the vote on Sunday to become the second-largest party in the parliament.
Swedes voted on Sunday in a national election expected to boost a populist anti-immigration party that promises to crack down on shootings and other gang violence that have shaken many people’s sense of security.
The right-wing Sweden Democrats entered parliament in 2010 and have steadily gained more votes with each election. The party’s fortunes have risen following massive migration in recent years, particularly in Europe’s crisis year of 2015, and as crime has grown in segregated neighbourhoods.
The party has its roots in the white nationalist movement but many years ago began expelling extremists. Despite its rebranding, voters long viewed it as unacceptable and other parties shunned it. That is changing.
Polls predicted the Sweden Democrats, which won 13 per cent in 2018, would take about 20 per cent on Sunday to become the second-largest party in the parliament. That would put it only behind the centre-left Social Democrats of Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
Andersson, a 55-year-old economist, enjoys high approval ratings. She became Sweden’s first female prime minister less than a year ago and led Sweden’s historic bid to join Nato following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Zeth Isaksson, a specialist in electoral behaviour at Stockholm University, said she is highly trusted thanks to her experience in government, first as finance minister, through crises including the Covid-19 pandemic and, as prime minister, in the negotiations to join Nato.
“Magdalena Andersson is one of the most important factors in this election,” Isaksson said.
