STOCKHOLM — Swedes will vote in a general election on September 13, 2026. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is seeking a second term leading a center-right coalition.

More than 8 million people are eligible to vote in the election for the 349-seat parliament, the Riksdag. Polling stations open at 8:00 a.m. local time and close at 8:00 p.m. local time. Advance voting began on August 26, 2026. Political parties must surpass a 4 percent threshold to win seats in the Riksdag.

"We can unify parties, voters and issues into joint action. That's why we get things done," Kristersson said. "We've become a harder society, a quieter society, but also a poorer society as we've had growth far below our potential and where households see their paychecks buy less and less," Andersson said. "Our country has based its strength on sharing in each other's achievements and that we stick together when things are hard," she added.

Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist is the leader of the Centre Party. Ebba Busch is the leader of the Christian Democrats. Nooshi Dadgostar is the leader of the Left Party.

Amanda Lind is a spokesperson for the Green Party. Simona Mohamsson is the leader of the Liberal Party. The Centre Party refuses to support a government that includes the Left Party. The Left Party has declared it will vote against any government in which it is not represented.

Police figures show shootings fell from 391 in 2022 to 158 in 2025. Sweden joined NATO in 2024 as the alliance’s 32nd member. Sweden has provided approximately $16.4 billion in military and civilian support to Ukraine since 2022.

There is broad political consensus in Sweden on supporting Ukraine and opposing Russia. Gustav Gellerbrant is the head of the Sweden Democrats' coordination office with the government. Expo magazine published a report alleging that a civil servant working for the Sweden Democrats had spread Russian state narratives on social networks. Gellerbrant decided to go on parental leave following the publication of the Expo report. Kristersson stated that "there is no room for pro-Russian narratives in Sweden." Åkesson stated in January 2026 that he would withdraw Sweden’s recognition of Palestine. The Sweden Democrats have called for moving the Swedish embassy to Jerusalem. The party has called for ending all Swedish aid to Palestinians. The current Swedish government has proposed extra tariffs and export certificates on settlement products. Sweden received approximately 163,000 asylum applications during the 2015 European migration crisis. The Swedish government has offered migrants with residency permits approximately $36,000 as an incentive to leave the country.

Why It Matters

The election outcome will determine whether the Sweden Democrats enter the cabinet with ministerial posts for the first time, shifting the structure of Swedish governance. The center-right coalition aims to formalize the support arrangement established under the Tidö Agreement, while the opposition seeks to maintain a government excluding the Sweden Democrats. Polling indicates a tight race, with the center-left holding a narrow lead in recent surveys.

Foreign policy positions diverge between the blocs, particularly regarding recognition of Palestine and aid distribution. The Sweden Democrats have proposed withdrawing recognition of Palestine and ending aid, contrasting with the current government's proposal of tariffs on settlement products. Domestic issues including migration levels, crime rates, and economic growth remain central to the campaign debate.

Timeline

On September 11, 2022, the Sweden Democrats received 20.5 percent of the vote in the 2022 election. On the same day, the Sweden Democrats became the second-largest party in Sweden after the 2022 election.

On October 18, 2022, the Sweden Democrats began supporting Kristersson’s minority government from outside the cabinet under the Tidö Agreement. In 2024, Sweden joined NATO as the alliance’s 32nd member. By December 31, 2025, police figures showed shootings fell from 391 in 2022 to 158 in 2025.

On January 1, 2026, the repatriation grant was increased to SEK 350,000 per adult and SEK 25,000 per child. On January 31, 2026, Jimmie Åkesson stated that he would withdraw Sweden’s recognition of Palestine.

What's New

Jimmie Åkesson stated in January 2026 that he would withdraw Sweden’s recognition of Palestine.

An Indikator Opinion poll conducted September 2–10, 2026, put the center-left coalition at 50.8 percent and the right coalition at 47.6 percent. The Sweden Democrats became the second-largest party in Sweden after the 2022 election. The center-left opposition bloc consists of the Social Democrats, Left Party, Green Party, and Centre Party. The Sweden Democrats have supported Kristersson’s minority government from outside the cabinet since 2022 under the Tidö Agreement. A Novus/TV4 poll placed the four opposition parties at 50.3 percent and the government parties plus Sweden Democrats at 47.7 percent.

How Sources Differ

Sources present different figures regarding the Sweden Democrats. A Novus/TV4 opinion poll placed the four opposition parties at 50.3 percent and the government parties plus Sweden Democrats at 47.7 percent.