Sweden is heading toward a closely contested election that could reshape the country’s political landscape and mark a major shift in the balance of power between the traditional parties and the far right.

At the center of the campaign are the Sweden Democrats, a nationalist party that was once largely excluded from mainstream political cooperation but has steadily expanded its influence over Swedish politics.

The party could now take an unprecedented step into government if Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right bloc wins the election. Rather than simply supporting a governing coalition from outside, the Sweden Democrats could seek ministerial positions and a direct role in running the country.

The prospect would represent a significant transformation for a party that spent years on the political margins.

The Sweden Democrats have risen rapidly by making immigration, crime, integration and national identity central issues in Swedish political debate.

Once widely shunned by the established parties because of its far-right roots, the party has gradually moved toward the center of political power as concerns over immigration and gang-related violence have grown.

Its breakthrough came in the 2022 election, when the Sweden Democrats became the second-largest party in parliament. Although they did not enter the government, their support became crucial to the center-right coalition led by Kristersson.

Since then, the party has exerted considerable influence over government policy, particularly on immigration, crime and law enforcement.

The shift has also transformed Sweden’s wider political debate, with mainstream parties adopting tougher positions on migration and crime in an effort to respond to voters who have moved toward the right.

Immigration has become one of the defining issues of Sweden’s political landscape.

For decades, Sweden was known for relatively generous immigration and asylum policies. But rising migration, integration challenges and an increase in deadly gang violence have fueled growing public concern.

The Sweden Democrats have made those concerns central to their political message, arguing for substantially tighter immigration controls, stricter integration requirements and tougher measures against organized crime.

Supporters say the policies reflect growing public demands for security and stronger control over migration. Critics accuse the party of exploiting social tensions and pushing Swedish politics toward nationalism and exclusion.

The debate has increasingly influenced parties across the political spectrum, making immigration and crime among the most closely watched issues in the election.

The biggest question is whether the Sweden Democrats can move from being an influential parliamentary force to becoming a formal governing party.

Kristersson’s governing bloc has relied on Sweden Democrat support, but bringing the party into government would represent a new political arrangement and could have significant consequences for Sweden’s domestic and European policies.

For the Sweden Democrats, ministerial representation would also symbolize the culmination of a political transformation that has taken decades.

The election will therefore be closely watched not only for which parties win seats, but also for whether Sweden’s far right finally crosses the line from supporting government policy to directly shaping and implementing it.

Whatever the result, the campaign has already demonstrated how profoundly the Sweden Democrats have changed Sweden’s political debate — and how far the country’s political center has shifted toward the right. (ILKHA)