How international media are covering the Swedish election

The election outcome is uncertain to the last detail, the German television news program Tagesschau states on its website:

"The Social Democrats are leading in opinion polls, but the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats may gain more influence than ever before."

Only a few years ago, it was "considered taboo" to govern together with the Sweden Democrats, writes Tagesschau.

The hug as a symbol

Belgian Le Soir describes L leader Simona Mohamsson's notable hug with SD leader Jimmy Åkesson as a symbol of how the Swedish cordon sanitaire against the far right has fallen.

For the first time, "a party with neo-Nazi roots" can enter government, the newspaper writes.

The British BBC also focuses on the fact that the election looks set to be close and that "current Conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has promised government posts to allies on the far right if he manages to retain power."

“Volvo’s homeland”

The American The New York Times headline is less incendiary: “In the homeland of Volvo and Spotify, an election reveals shifting priorities.”

The newspaper does note that a possible government with many SD ministers “would radically change Sweden’s path forward.” But the main point is that the debate this time, rather than migration and crime, focused on topics such as healthcare, education and the environment.

“The issues that mattered most to voters have shifted in ways that have helped left-leaning parties, which goes against the trend in Europe,” the newspaper writes.

The Spanish El País also focuses on the fact that the left, led by the Social Democrats, despite the loss at the end of the election campaign, looks set to emerge victorious from the election.

According to the newspaper, this would "give hope to European social democracy, which among the 27 EU countries is currently only in power in Spain, Denmark and Malta."

But, the newspaper adds, forming a government led by the Social Democrats will be very difficult as "the Left demands participation in the government, while the Center Party insists that they cannot support such a coalition."