GBAF Logo
Global Banking & Finance Awards® 2026 Nominations open, free to enter Nominate now →
Sweden's centre-left opposition wins election, SVT says - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
Finance

Sweden's centre-left opposition wins election, SVT says

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on September 16, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: September 16, 2026

Add as preferred source on Google

Sweden Election: Centre-Left Opposition Edges Out Right-Wing Bloc in Tight Vote

Election Results and Implications

Centre-Left Opposition Claims Victory

STOCKHOLM, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Sweden's centre-left opposition has defeated the incumbent right-wing governing bloc by the slimmest of margins, public broadcaster SVT said on Wednesday, after 99% of the votes in Sunday's parliamentary election had been counted.

Margin of Victory

Only 26,169 votes separated the two blocs at 1647 GMT, but with fewer than 1% of districts left to count, parties led by opposition leader Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats looked set to win 175 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, signalling a change of government.

SVT's Statement

"The likelihood of a turnaround at this stage is so low that we can confidently state that the opposition will secure the most seats in this election," SVT said.

Performance of the Right-Wing Bloc

The right-wing governing bloc of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, which includes the far-right Sweden Democrats, was meanwhile on track to win 174 seats, data from Sweden's election authority showed.

Vote Counting Process

The agency is now counting late incoming ballots from home and overseas, and has said this process may go on until Thursday before all votes are accounted for.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander, Anna Ringstrom and Terje Solsvik; editing by Niklas Pollard and Alex Richardson)

Key Takeaways

  • With about 99% of votes counted, SVT reports the centre‑left leads by just 26,169 votes, securing 175 seats vs 174 for the right‑wing bloc, making a reversal unlikely
  • Earlier projections showed a narrow 3‑seat advantage for the centre‑left (176 vs 173), reflecting the tightness of the race
  • Turnout remained high, with early results underscoring the challenge Andersson faces in forming a stable coalition despite likely victory

Frequently Asked Questions

Which parties make up the right-wing bloc in Sweden?
The right-wing bloc includes Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's party and the far-right Sweden Democrats.
What is the total number of seats in the Swedish parliament?
The Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, consists of 349 seats.

Tags

Related Articles

More from Finance

Explore more articles in the Finance category