Elections & Democracy
Sweden election: Social Democrats lead in close count
Sweden's Social Democrats were leading a very close general election count early Monday, party leader Magdalena Andersson said, after more than 86 percent of votes had been counted.
“It looks like it will be very close,” Andersson told supporters after Sunday's election. “We Social Democrats will always be ready to assume responsibility for the result... For now, we are in the lead. And if that is confirmed, Sweden will have a new government.”
The election remained too close to call. Earlier in the count, Andersson's left-wing opposition bloc was narrowly ahead of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance, which includes the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.
Kristersson has governed for four years with a minority coalition backed in parliament by the Sweden Democrats. He has promised the party key cabinet posts if the right-wing bloc wins.
A left-wing victory would return Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, to power. The campaign focused heavily on healthcare and household costs.
Update
More than 86 percent of votes had been counted in Sweden's general election.
Magdalena Andersson said the Social Democrats were in the lead and ready to govern if the result was confirmed.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 22:35:41 UTC.
Update
Sweden's Social Democrats said they were ready to govern amid a very close election.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 22:21:48 UTC.
Update
With more than 50 percent of votes counted, the left-wing opposition bloc had 49.3 percent and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance had 49.1 percent.
The Sweden Democrats had 17.7 percent in the early count, down from 20.5 percent in 2022.
A Sweden Democrat lawmaker described the early result as disappointing but said it could still change.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 20:47:01 UTC.
Update
Magdalena Andersson cast her ballot after polling stations opened.
Andersson said voters had to choose between what she described as a government dominated by the Sweden Democrats and one led by her in a spirit of cooperation.
AFP included voter comments from a polling station and from a Sweden Democrats rally.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 07:32:44 UTC.
Update
Opinion polls had long given the left-wing bloc a comfortable lead, but the gap narrowed to a dead heat in the final days of the campaign.
Magdalena Andersson pledged to bolster the welfare state and help households facing rising costs if the left-wing bloc wins a majority.
Ulf Kristersson said he would focus on improving everyday life after his government's clampdown on organised crime and immigration.
Kristersson promised cabinet posts for the Sweden Democrats for the first time if the right-wing bloc wins the election.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 06:22:26 UTC.
Update
Polling stations opened across Sweden on Sunday, September 13.
Voting stations opened at 8:00 am local time and are due to close at 8:00 pm.
Exit polls are due when voting closes, with the first reliable results expected several hours later.
Source note: AFP news report published on 13 September 2026 at 06:04:50 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The final election result was not confirmed.
Updated vote shares after more than 86 percent of votes were counted were not supplied.
Source
AFP news report published on .