Sweden's centre-left party hangs onto razor-thin lead as election too close to call

Sweden's general election was left too close to call overnight, with the centre-left opposition marginally ahead of the governing centre-right alliance, while the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats appeared to have suffered a setback.

With more than 90 per cent of ballots counted, the opposition led Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s bloc by roughly 20,000 votes.

The centre-left was also projected to hold 176 parliamentary seats, just three more than its rivals, and only one seat above the threshold needed for a majority.

The result leaves the country facing potentially difficult coalition negotiations, and means the final composition of the next government may not become clear until later in the week.

Former prime minister Magdalena Andersson, leader of the Social Democrats, told supporters that her side was currently in front, and would form a new government if that position survived the final count.

The Social Democrats were on about 28 per cent, ahead of Mr Kristersson’s Moderate Party on 19.9 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, were polling at approximately 17.6 per cent.

Earlier projections had suggested a more decisive victory for Ms Andersson’s four-party centre-Left alliance, with Swedish broadcaster SVT estimating it would take about 51.6 per cent of the vote and 183 seats.

The right-wing parties were initially projected to win 166 seats, but Mr Kristersson insisted that the election remained open.

He argued that the left had not yet secured a clear majority, and said his coalition could still emerge with either a narrow majority or fall just one seat short.

Once a political fringe movement, the Sweden Democrats party has become a major force in Swedish politics, and has pushed successive governments towards tougher immigration and criminal justice policies.

Mr Kristersson had previously relied on the party to support his government without formally including it in the cabinet.

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During the campaign, however, he promised to go further by giving the Sweden Democrats ministerial posts if the centre-Right returned to power.

Although the Sweden Democrats were projected to receive a smaller share of the vote than the 20.5 per cent they won in 2022, despite opinion polls having suggested they could approach 19 per cent.

Mr Åkesson remained defiant, telling supporters that the campaign had been highly successful - stressing that the difference between the two blocs amounted to only tens of thousands of votes.

The final result could take several days, with Sweden’s election authorities expected to count remaining early and overseas ballots on Wednesday or Thursday.

Turnout was reported at more than 78 per cent, with more than eight million voters eligible to participate in the election for Sweden’s 349-seat parliament.

Immigration was a central issue throughout the campaign, with the Sweden Democrats campaigning for further restrictions, including tougher deportation measures, tighter welfare rules and policies aimed at promoting what they describe as traditional Swedish values.

Ms Andersson has also moved away from the more liberal immigration policies associated with Sweden’s past, while arguing that integration must be improved.

For voters in migrant-heavy communities, the election highlighted the tension between demands for stricter immigration controls and concerns about discrimination and social exclusion.

With the vote still separated by a fraction of a percentage point, Sweden now faces an anxious wait for the final ballots to determine whether Ms Andersson can return to power, or whether Mr Kristersson can assemble another centre-Right government.