More than 8 million registered voters in Sweden will cast their ballots in the elections to be held on September 13. Voters will choose representatives for the 349 seats in parliament, as well as members of 21 regional councils and 290 municipal councils on the same day.
Center-left bloc holds a narrow lead
Recent polls put the center-left bloc, formed by the opposition Social Democratic Party, Centre Party, Greens and Left Party, at 50.8 percent.
The right-wing bloc, made up of the governing Moderate Party, Christian Democrats and Liberals, as well as the Sweden Democrats, which supports the government from outside, stands at 47.6 percent. The narrow gap between the two blocs points to a closely contested election.
The Sweden Democrats, which are not currently formally part of the government, are considered likely to join the cabinet directly for the first time after the election.
Muslim voters discussed in televised debate
Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, and Amanda Lind, a representative of the Green Party, clashed over the political approach to Muslim voters during a debate broadcast on Swedish public television SVT.
Åkesson claimed that left-wing parties were conducting election campaigning in mosques and trying to gain voter support in this way. Lind argued that right-wing parties were targeting ordinary Muslims.
Lind said it was a terrible statement to regard ordinary Muslims who attend mosques and vote as a problem.
Polling stations will open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Türkiye time. Turnout in Sweden's last election, held in 2022, was 84 percent.
