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Swedish election too close to call with left-wing bloc narrowly ahead
Confirmed
In Short: Sweden's general election remains uncertain, with the left-wing bloc leading by a narrow margin as the vote count continues.
The counting process will restart to include early votes that were submitted late and votes from abroad that did not arrive before election day. The Swedish Election Authority reported that the four opposition parties were heading for 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament, against 173 seats for the government alliance.
Sweden's national election is too close to call, with the left-wing opposition leading by a narrow margin. The outcome of the election may not be decided until Wednesday, when local election boards count late-arriving early votes. The counting process is expected to continue until all votes are processed.
What's confirmed
- But Mr Kristersson also said he would explore “possibilities” given the close result.
- With 94% of the vote counted early on Monday, the Swedish Election Authority reported the four opposition parties were heading for 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament, against 173 seats for the government alliance.
- Ms Andersson told supporters that “we must wait for the final election result” but added that “right now we are leading … But we have to wait for the final result”.
- Sweden’s national election is too close to call, with preliminary results showing a very narrow lead for the left-wing opposition over prime minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing coalition.
What's still developing
- Magdalena Andersson is seeking to return as prime minister - a job she held from 2021 to 2022 Sweden's general election remains too close to call with the left-wing bloc marginally ahead as the vote count continues.
- Close race in Sweden as hard right eyes role in government Early on Monday morning, Kristersson said it remained unclear who would form the next government.
- With more than 90% of ballots processed early on Monday, the left-wing bloc was in front by approximately 20,000 votes.
- Sweden uses a mandate distribution voting system, a proportional representation method to elect "mandates", or "seats", in the Riksdag – the Swedish parliament.
- With 94% of votes reported, the left-wing bloc led by the Social Democrats was ahead with 176 mandates compared to the right-wing bloc's 173.
- “When we have the final result it’s a good idea to look at possible combinations,” Mr Kristersson said, adding that “there is a very clear non-socialist majority, or non-left leaning economic majority in the Swedish parliament. And I will actually take note of that and at least figure out whether there are any possibilities”.
- Sweden goes to polls in tight election Inside wargame that tests the UK's home defence Swedish politics consists of two major political blocs, with four parties on the right and four on the left, making elections more about which bloc can form a majority.
- More than eight million people were eligible to vote in the election. (c) Sky News 2026: Sweden election: Preliminary results show one-seat advantage for left-wing bloc A wargame that tested how real-life local authorities, the emergency services and the military might respond to an attack on the UK has revealed a genuine appetite across the country for this kind of worst-case scenario training.