Sweden likely to shift to right

Polls have opened in Sweden for the country's parliamentary election, Deutsche Welle reports. Opinion surveys show the current center-right government winning reelection, while a far-right party could enter parliament for the first time. Sweden likely to shift to right The Social Democratic leader Mona Sahlin is vying to become Sweden's first female prime minister, but her coalition with the Greens and Left Party still trails the center-right incumbent government. With a strong economic recovery and sound public finances, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt looks set to come out on top again in Sunday's general elections. Reinfeldt's Moderate Party is the largest in the ruling coalition, which also includes the Liberal Party, the Center Party and the Christian Democrats. The three latest surveys hand the coalition between 49.2 and 51.2 percent of voter intentions, or in the worst case enough votes to secure a clear parliamentary majority with at least 175 of the 349 seats. But the far-right Sweden Democrats party, which appears poised to pass the required four percent hurdle and thus enter parliament for the first time, could still keep Reinfeldt from obtaining a parliamentary majority. Growing support for the anti-immigrant party mirrors developments in countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and France, where anti-immigrant parties are already strong. Fredrik Furtenbach, the head of the politics desk at Swedish National Radio, told Deutsche Welle that the party was Sweden's least popular party. But he warned that it was the only one that was campaigning on accepting fewer refugees. "So they have potential," Furtenbach said. "There is a group of Swedish voters that want fewer refugees, and the Sweden Democrats are the only alternative for them." Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Aakesson attempted to present the party's "99 proposals" in front of parliament in Stockholm on Saturday to highlight the way the main parties have ostracized it. "We want those who will be our colleagues starting next week to know what to expect from us and what issues we expect to push," he said, after being prevented from posting the scroll of proposals to parliament meant to evoke Martin Luther's nailing of the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral, launching the reformation. Both Reinfeldt and Sahlin, meanwhile, have dismissed the notion of entering into government with the Sweden Democrats, saying the party's anti-immigration campaign opposes Sweden's constitution.

Sweden likely to shift to right

The Social Democratic leader Mona Sahlin is vying to become Sweden's first female prime minister, but her coalition with the Greens and Left Party still trails the center-right incumbent government.

With a strong economic recovery and sound public finances, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt looks set to come out on top again in Sunday's general elections.

Reinfeldt's Moderate Party is the largest in the ruling coalition, which also includes the Liberal Party, the Center Party and the Christian Democrats.

The three latest surveys hand the coalition between 49.2 and 51.2 percent of voter intentions, or in the worst case enough votes to secure a clear parliamentary majority with at least 175 of the 349 seats.

But the far-right Sweden Democrats party, which appears poised to pass the required four percent hurdle and thus enter parliament for the first time, could still keep Reinfeldt from obtaining a parliamentary majority.

Growing support for the anti-immigrant party mirrors developments in countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and France, where anti-immigrant parties are already strong.

Fredrik Furtenbach, the head of the politics desk at Swedish National Radio, told Deutsche Welle that the party was Sweden's least popular party. But he warned that it was the only one that was campaigning on accepting fewer refugees.

"So they have potential," Furtenbach said. "There is a group of Swedish voters that want fewer refugees, and the Sweden Democrats are the only alternative for them."

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Aakesson attempted to present the party's "99 proposals" in front of parliament in Stockholm on Saturday to highlight the way the main parties have ostracized it.

"We want those who will be our colleagues starting next week to know what to expect from us and what issues we expect to push," he said, after being prevented from posting the scroll of proposals to parliament meant to evoke Martin Luther's nailing of the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral, launching the reformation.

Both Reinfeldt and Sahlin, meanwhile, have dismissed the notion of entering into government with the Sweden Democrats, saying the party's anti-immigration campaign opposes Sweden's constitution.