Voters in Sweden are heading to the polls today to elect a new parliament in a closely contested race that could signal major political shifts for the country. Conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is fighting to hold onto power, facing off against Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democratic Party, who previously served as prime minister before him.
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Polls are pointing to a neck-and-neck battle, with the outcome remaining deeply uncertain. Of particular interest is the role of the far-right, which is hoping to enter government for the very first time.
Ulf Kristersson currently leads a minority government made up of his own center-right Moderate Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals.
The election result is expected to determine not only who will take the prime ministership, but also the political alliances that will shape the formation of the next government. His governing coalition is backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, and Kristersson has indicated he would be open to forming a coalition government with the party after today’s election — which would mark the first time the far-right party has ever entered government.
Eight million citizens — more than half of whom have already cast early ballots — are eligible to vote in this Scandinavian country of approximately 10.6 million people, where voter turnout is traditionally very high.
Polling stations will remain open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time (9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Greek time). Results from two exit polls are expected to be announced as soon as the polls close, with more reliable partial results anticipated a few hours later.
