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Bloomberg
Sweden’s coalition of right-wing parties looks set to secure a narrow victory in a general election that promises to rewrite the political map in the Nordic region’s biggest country.
The likely victory hinged on the rise of the anti-immigrant party, the Sweden Democrats, which saw the biggest gains of any of the parties on Sunday and now makes them the country’s second-largest political force.
“I am so proud, I am so happy about what we have done together,†said Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Akesson, 43, after it became clear the party was heading for its best result ever.
With 95% of the 6,578 voting districts now counted, the opposition bloc led by Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson gained 175 mandates in the 349-seat parliament giving them a slender advantage over the ruling Social Democrats and its allies.
The gains by Swedish nationalists are emblematic of a broader shift in European politics. While French President Emmanuel Macron’s alliance remained the largest bloc in the April legislative election, the far-right National Rally fared much better than expected. Italy’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party, whose roots stretch back to Italy’s post-fascist movement, leads the right-wing coalition that looks poised for a landslide win in the Sept. 25 elections, according to the latest opinion polls.