It was a point of national pride that at the height of the 2015 refugee crisis across Europe Sweden took in 163,000 asylum seekers, the second highest per capita across the continent – equivalent to one person for every 60 locals. But a decade on, that number had fallen by 96 per cent. Successive governments from both the political Left and then the Right have pushed for firmer measures on migration that have steadily gained acceptance across society.
To win tickets to see Bel Trew’s latest compelling documentary click here Voters will head to the polls on Sunday for a tight election that stands to decide whether the country will shun the direction of the last government or deepen this political shift. The ruling centre-right minority coalition relies on outside support from the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, a party that has steadily come into the mainstream and is now polling at 19 per cent. A win would offer them ministerial positions for the first time, inviting deep-seated concern from onlookers.
Ahead of Sunday’s general elections, The Independent looks at a far-right victory could mean for a country grappling again with its identity. The Sweden Democrats were founded in 1988 as a radical nationalist party. According to an internal investigation, some founders were neo-Nazis, although the party under Jimmie Åkesson, who has led them since 2005, has disavowed those roots, expelling openly racist members and saying it maintains a strict “no racism” policy.
Cleaning up the party’s image has helped a marginal movement grow into a substantial force with influence over talking points across the political spectrum. The movement still leans on hardline populist messaging around migration, criminal justice and national identity. Åkesson has found an audience in appeals to making Sweden “great again”.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says the country needs a stable majority government to tackle important issues, such as national security and gang crime, and that the only way is to include the Sweden Democrats. Some Conservatives last time around framed an alliance with the far-right as a way to contain its influence. One area where all the main parties seem to agree is Russia.
Nicholas Aylott, associate professor of political science at Södertörn University, told the : “The biggest threat to Sweden's security is from the war in Ukraine and there is almost complete consensus in Sweden about support for Ukraine and deep antipathy towards Russia.” The party’s 2026 programme gives an indication of what ministers might try to achieve if the Sweden Democrats become part of a four-way ruling partnership: reducing migration to the lowest possible level, deporting foreign national accused of serious crimes, imposing harsher criminal penalties, and keeping fuel and energy costs down. Asylum numbers have dropped to a 40-year low and while Kristersson says the focus will now be on integration, the Sweden Democrats want to go further. In July, while campaigning for the upcoming election, the party paid for adverts promoting a new initiative offering migrants around 350,000 Swedish crowns (£26,700/$37,000) to leave the country.
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