Sweden’s General Election Results End Inconclusive, Social Democrats See Reduced Support
The Oasis Reporters
Sweden’s general election results on Sunday has ended inconclusively with a noticeable surge for the far right party, Sweden Democrats.
Sweden’s center-right and center-left blocs have fallen short of a majority. The far-right Sweden Democrats have seen a boost in support amid concerns over immigration in the Scandinavian country.
The far-right, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats who rose from the white supremacist and neo-Nazi fringe, saw their share of the vote rise from 12.9 percent in 2014 to 17.6 percent in Sunday’s poll. They had been expressing hopes of a result far higher, but it still represents the largest gain by any party in the Riksdag.
If confirmed, the result translates to 63 parliamentary seats for the Sweden Democrats, up from 49 seats in 2014. Party chief Jimmie Akesson told members: “We will gain huge influence over what happens in Sweden during the coming weeks, months and years.”
Prime Minister Stefan Löfven’s left-leaning bloc emerged with only a slight lead in the general elections.
Both Stefan Löfven’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the Left Party bloc, as well as the opposition center-right Alliance won around 40 percent, well short of the required majority.
The prime minister’s party lost 13 seats in parliament – their worst result in a century. Meanwhile, the junior coalition Green party even saw their support fall dangerously close to the 4 percent threshold for participation in the parliament.
Prime Minister Stefan Löfven hopes to stay on for a few more days as talks continue on forming a new coalition. Meanwhile many other parties balk at the idea of forming any coalition with the far right Sweden Democrats.
Yesterday’s Swedish general election saw Swedes hit the polls to cast their votes in what’s said to be one of the most complicated elections in Swedish history. The results have trickled in which leaves Sweden watchers surprised at the swings to the far right.
The Scandinavian country of Sweden, home to sensational singers, ABBA of ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘I Have A Dream’ fame that is also the industrial hub that produces Volvo automobile vehicles is seeing a swing to the far right and how this will spell out for its European Union membership remains a matter for debate.
The election that usually holds on the second Sunday of September would be decisive for Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and the Social Democratic Party which headed for one of the most catastrophic elections since the 1940’s, losing foothold in cities unimaginable only 2-3 years ago.
The party’s left-wing politics has been stronger in Sweden than in almost any other country since its parliamentary-democratic breakthrough in 1917, but now the era of the left might be coming to an end.
Throughout the summer, a spectacular rise in support for far-right Sweden Democrats has seen the party gaining ground with their eurosceptic and anti-immigration policies.
Recent polls have shown huge variety in who could be the next to move into Rosenbad – the Swedish Prime Minister’s office.
Current polling suggests centre-left Social Democrats will remain Sweden’s largest, as it has for more than a century, but they face a major challenge with Sweden Democrats’ surge in support. The coming days of election brokerage deals would prove who should be who or where.
The polls have consistently shown the Social Democrats, the Sweden Democrats and the Moderate party as the country’s three largest parties
The Swedish election system uses proportional representation and puts multiple parties in Government through coalitions and alliances.
This is so MPs reflect as accurately as possible the people’s political will.
Ulf Kristersson is the leader of the moderates.
Jimmie Åkesson and his party, the Sweden Democrats are anti immigration and far right. They have seen a surge in support since 2014. Modest gains were made in Sunday’s election, but other traditional parties may not want them as coalition partners.
Jimmie Åkesson of the far right Sweden Democrats
Contribution: Amalie Henden
Express
DW
