13 September was election day in Sweden – for three different levels of government: the Riksdag, the regional council and the local council. For me, it was a special moment. For the first time, as an EU citizen, I was able to vote in the regional and local elections. Only Swedish citizens can vote for the Riksdag. Nevertheless, it feels different when you’re no longer just a bystander, but have a say in who will decide on schools, care services and roads here in Dals Långed in future.
The election: a close but clear result
Nationwide, 84.9 per cent of eligible voters turned out to vote, slightly more than in 2022. The Social Democrats remain the clear frontrunners with 28.0 per cent, even though they have lost ground slightly. They are followed by the Moderates with 19.9 per cent and the Sweden Democrats with 17.5 per cent. The Sweden Democrats have lost three percentage points and eleven seats. Ultimately, it is the parliamentary arithmetic that counts. The Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Greens and the Centre Party together hold 176 of the 349 seats, whilst the existing Tidö parties hold 173 (Electoral Authority, Riksdag).
Box: Swedish political parties from left to right
To help you understand, I’ll briefly explain the political landscape here in Sweden:
| Party | Abbreviation | In brief |
|---|---|---|
| Vänsterpartiet (Left Party) | V | A socialist party with roots in the former Communist Party. It stands for a strong welfare state, tenants’ rights and feminism. In the European Parliament it sits with The Left. |
| Miljöpartiet (Green Party) | MP | Sweden’s Greens, focused on climate and the environment. In the European Parliament it sits with the Greens/EFA. |
| Socialdemokraterna (Social Democrats) | S | Sweden’s traditional party of government and the architect of the “Folkhemmet”, the Swedish welfare state. It has usually been the largest party for more than a hundred years. In the European Parliament it sits with the Socialists and Democrats (S&D). |
| Centerpartiet (Centre Party) | C | Once the farmers’ party, now a liberal party focused on rural areas, the environment and entrepreneurship. In the European Parliament it sits with Renew Europe. It refuses to cooperate with the SD, which is why it sits with the centre-left camp this time. |
| Liberalerna (Liberals) | L | A social-liberal party focused on education and schools. In the European Parliament it sits with Renew Europe. |
| Kristdemokraterna (Christian Democrats) | KD | A socially conservative party focused on family and healthcare. In the European Parliament it sits with the European People’s Party (EPP). |
| Moderaterna (Moderates) | M | The large centre-right conservative party, with a strong free-market streak. It holds the outgoing prime minister, Ulf Kristersson. In the European Parliament it sits with the European People’s Party (EPP). |
| Sverigedemokraterna (Sweden Democrats) | SD | A national-conservative, right-wing populist party with roots in the nationalist movement. It calls for a strict migration policy. Since 2022 it has supported the government without holding any ministerial posts. In the European Parliament it sits with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR). |
The political camps in the Riksdag
Centre-left (176 seats): V, MP, S and C
Tidö parties (173 seats): L, KD, M and SD. They are named after Tidö Castle, where they agreed to work together in 2022.
Unique to Bengtsfors: Sunt Förnuft Bengtsfors (SFB, ‘Common Sense’) is a local list that was only formed this year. It was founded in the wake of the dispute that led to the change of government last winter. Its main priority is the reopening of the Björkåsen short-stay care home.
The region: All eyes are on the Centre Party
In our region of Västra Götaland, 82.4 per cent of voters turned out. The Social Democrats remain the largest group, with 27.5 per cent of the vote and 42 out of 149 seats. They are followed by the Moderates with 20.5 per cent and 32 seats, and the Sweden Democrats with 14.3 per cent and 22 seats (Election Authority, Region).
A majority requires 75 seats, and neither bloc has achieved this. The Social Democrats, the Left and the Greens together hold 67 seats, whilst the Moderates, the Sweden Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Liberals hold 71. This means the Centre Party, with its 11 seats, will hold the balance of power. The party advocates a broad centre and greater freedom of choice in healthcare. This, in particular, is likely to prove difficult with the Left. It therefore remains to be seen who will lead the region in future.
The municipality: an election victory without power
In Bengtsfors, 78.75 per cent of eligible voters cast their ballots. The Social Democrats gained almost four percentage points, securing 35.7 per cent of the vote and 11 of the 31 seats. The Moderates lost over six percentage points, securing 25.8 per cent of the vote and 8 seats. The Centre Party rose to 12.5 per cent and 4 seats. New to the council is the local list ‘Sunt Förnuft Bengtsfors’, with 5.0 per cent and 2 seats. The Liberals are no longer represented (Electoral Authority, Bengtsfors Municipality).
The difference between the levels is striking. In the Riksdag election, the Sweden Democrats (SD) secured over 26 per cent in Bengtsfors, whereas in the municipal council they achieved just under 10 per cent and 3 seats. Many voters appear to have made very different choices for the Riksdag in Stockholm and in their local elections.
Despite their election victory, the Social Democrats will not be in power in Bengtsfors. The Moderates, the Centre Party, the Christian Democrats and the Sweden Democrats have joined forces to form a new majority. Together they hold 16 of the 31 seats, giving them a majority of exactly one vote. Anders Forsberg (M) will take over as chair of the municipal executive committee. This is already the second change of power this year. It was only in February that the Social Democrats took the lead with the help of six defectors. So local politics certainly never gets boring around here.
Stockholm: the second attempt
On 18 September, Magdalena Andersson (S) was tasked with forming a government. Ten days later, she angrily returned the mandate. The reason: the Left Party wanted to support the Moderate Andreas Norlén as Speaker of the Riksdag. She has been trying again since 5 October and is due to report back on 12 October. The Riksdag could vote on her as Prime Minister on 14 October at the earliest.
The sticking point lies between the Centre Party and the Left Party. The Left Party wants to join the government, whilst the Centre Party does not want them there. If four votes fail, there will be a general election.
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