Swedes vote on Sunday, 13 September 2026, to elect all 349 members of the Riksdag, along with regional and municipal councils. The second Sunday in September is the constitutionally fixed date for ordinary general elections.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s centre-right government—formed by the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals, with parliamentary support from the Sweden Democrats—has governed since 2022. The main challenge comes from a centre-left grouping led by Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson, together with the Left Party, Greens and Centre Party.Recent polling shows a close contest. A Novus survey published on 7 September (fieldwork 1–5 September) put the four centre-left parties at 50.3 percent and the governing bloc plus Sweden Democrats at 47.9 percent. The Liberals registered 4.3 percent, clearing the 4 percent national threshold needed for seats after earlier polls had placed them below it.
The gap has narrowed from larger opposition leads recorded in August. Campaign issues include the cost of living, crime, immigration, energy supply and security.A change of government would most likely see Andersson return as prime minister, though the exact coalition arithmetic depends on which smaller parties clear the threshold and how seats are allocated under Sweden’s proportional system. The Liberals’ performance remains a key variable for the current government’s chances of retaining a working majority.Advance voting is already under way. Final official results are expected about a week after election day.
