Far-right tipped to win big in Sweden vote due to backlash over immigration policy
Polls suggest the right-wing Sweden Democrats party could grab as much as 25 per cent of the ballots
Swedes go to the polls in legislative elections on Sunday, with the far-right expected to post a record score as voters unhappy about immigration punish one of the few remaining left-wing governments in Europe.
Polling institutes have suggested support for the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats (SD) could be up to 25 per cent, giving it significant influence and making it impossible to predict the make-up of the next government.
The party with roots in the neo-Nazi movement has called the arrival of almost 400,000 asylum seekers since 2012 a threat to Swedish culture that is straining country’s generous welfare state.
The traditionally two biggest parties, the Social Democrats and the conservative Moderates, were together predicted to win around 40 per cent of votes, down by 10 percentage points from the last elections in 2014.
Candidates from the eight parties campaigned to the 11th hour on Saturday, targeting in particular undecided voters, who make up an estimated 20 per cent of those eligible to vote, according to pollsters.