Sweden's center-left opposition maintained a narrow polling lead ahead of Sunday's parliamentary election, according to three surveys released Friday, two days before voting in a contest widely viewed as a referendum on the right-wing government's alliance with the far-right.
The four center-left parties combined held 49.3 to 50.8 percent support in the polls, which would translate to approximately 180 parliamentary seats. The ruling center-right Moderate Party of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, together with the far-right Sweden Democrats who support the government, stood at 47.6 percent or 169 seats, according to a survey conducted September 2-10 and published Friday.
The Social Democrats led by Magdalena Andersson were considered favorites to return to government after four years in opposition, potentially replacing Kristersson. Andersson's party would lead a center-left coalition if the opposition bloc prevails at the ballot.
The election takes place amid a broader European trend of far-right parties gaining strength. In Germany, the Alternative for Germany party, which opposes immigration and favors closer ties with Russia, recently won elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. In France, polls show Marine Le Pen leading ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The Sweden Democrats have provided crucial parliamentary support to Kristersson's government since it took office four years ago, allowing the center-right coalition to govern despite lacking an outright majority. The election will determine whether Swedish voters endorse this arrangement or prefer a return to center-left governance.
Polling margins in Sweden have tightened in recent weeks, with the center-left advantage described as marginal by multiple sources. The fragmented nature of the center-left bloc, which comprises four separate parties, contrasts with the more unified right-wing coalition backed by the Sweden Democrats.