Update:
With votes in all but two of 6004 districts counted, the distribution of the 349 seats in the new parliament will look as follows (previous number of seats in brackets):
Social Democrats 101 (113)
Green Party 15 (25)
Left Party 28 (21)
Centre-left bloc (Soc Dems, Greens, Left) 144 (159)
Moderates 70 (84)
Centre Party 31 (22)
Liberals 19 (19)
Christian Democrats 23 (16)
Centre-right bloc (Moderates, Centre, Liberal Christian Democrats 143 (143)
Sweden Democrats 62 (49)
Earlier
The Swedish general election has left the two main political blocs almost tied, with the anti-immigration party making gains on its previous results.
The results are preliminary, not yet final.
The centre-left coalition appears to have barely edged out the centre-right bloc, but not without taking hits. Preliminary results — with over 97% districts counted — showed the governing Social Democrats, Greens and Left Party coalition winning with 40.6% of the votes while the opposition bloc made of the Moderates, the Christian Democrats and the Centre Party and the Liberals winning 40.1% of the votes.
The Social Democrats are poised to lose 13 seats in the Riksdag, a devastating blow to the party that has been the dominant player in Swedish politics for decades.
The party and its centre-left coalition will still struggle to form a new government, and the Alliance bloc will also put up a fight. On Sunday Liberal Party leader Jan Björklund, with the centre-right Alliance bloc, said he wanted to form a government but ruled out any chance of cooperating with the far-right Sweden Democrats.
Earlier:
Politico: Sweden’s two main political blocs were neck and neck in an exit poll as voting ended at 8 p.m. local time, following a tight general election race and a surge in support for the far right.
The poll by national broadcaster SVT suggested the four-party, center-right Alliance of the Moderate Party, Center Party, Liberals and Christian Democrats secured 39.6 percent support. The center-left bloc made up of Prime Minister Stefan Löfven’s Social Democrats, the Green Party and their allies the Left Party won 39.4 percent.
The far-right Sweden Democrats looked set to win 19.2 percent after a campaign dominated by the party’s highest profile issues: immigration and law and order. The party won around 13 percent in the previous election.
BBC
Sweden’s nationalist anti-immigration party has made gains in the country’s general election as the establishment parties appear deadlocked, exit polls predict.
The Sweden Democrats (SD) are expected to achieve 19.2% of the vote.
The party, described by Prime Minister Stefan Lofven as “racist”, held 12.9% of the ballot in the previous election.
Neither the governing Social Democrats nor the centre-right bloc of parties are predicted to win a majority.
An exit poll by public broadcaster SVT suggested the centre-right Alliance got 39.6% of the vote, slightly more than the Social Democrats on 39.4%.
SVT
Exit Poll Analysis
– 41 percent stated that they have changed their party since the last parliamentary elections. It is a record measurement since the measurements began.
– 38 percent decided what to vote for today or the last week. Even this is record.
– The party leaders of the Swedish Democrats play the most important role for the party’s sympathizers. Minor role plays the environmental party.
