SVT's big debate with party leaders and spokespeople two days before the election has been the culmination of the election campaign since television's infancy - and has always been broadcast from Stockholm.
That won't be the case this year. This year's edition will be broadcast live on September 11, two days before the election, from - Gävle, with Elisabeth Marmorstein and Fouad Youcefi as hosts.
What we are doing with large parts of the heaviest election programs is moving them out of the TV studio, says Michael Kucera, program director for SVT's social programs.
New this year is that the traditional hearings of party leaders will also take place in their hometowns. For example, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) will be questioned in Strängnäs, while Magdalena Andersson (S) and Ebba Busch (KD) will be asked questions at home in Uppsala.
The hearings were handled for the third consecutive election by Anders Holmberg and Camilla Kvartoft. They covered that assignment for SVT ahead of the parliamentary elections in 2018 and 2022.
TV4 is also staging an election tour where “Efter fem” will be broadcast from different parts of Sweden in early September. The channel is also launching a new interview format, “Vem kan styra Mauri?”, where host Mauri Hermundsson meets the party leaders and asks questions while he “practices” with them.
Swedish TV:
11/9 Final debate, 9/9 Prime Ministerial meeting between Magdalena Andersson (S) and Ulf Kristersson (M).
Party leader hearings: 23/8 Jimmie Åkesson (SD), Sölvesborg, 25/8 Simona Mohamsson (L), Gothenburg, 27/8 Nooshi Dadgostar (V), Gothenburg, 30/8 Ulf Kristersson (M), Strängnäs, 1/9 Magdalena Andersson (S), Uppsala, 3/9 Ebba Busch (KD), Uppsala, 6/9 Amanda Lind, Härnösand, 8/9 Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C), Östersund.
TV4:
10/9 Party leadership debate, 12/9 Prime Ministerial duel.
Party leadership hearings: 11/8 Liberals, 13/8 Greens, 18/8 Christian Democrats, 20/8 Centre Party, 24/8 Left Party, 26/8 Moderates, 31/8 Sweden Democrats, 2/9 Social Democrats.
"Who Can Control Mauri" premieres on August 10. TV4 has not yet announced which politicians will participate.
