Swedish voters will go to the polls on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in a general election to determine the makeup of the next parliament, amid a contest between a left-wing bloc seeking to return to power and a right-wing alliance leading the current government with support from the Sweden Democrats. The election will determine the 349 members of parliament, as well as members of regional and municipal councils.
Voter numbers and early voting rules
Sweden’s Election Authority says early voting began on August 26, with more than 8 million voters eligible to participate. Opinion polls give the left-wing bloc an advantage, but the contest remains open as right-wing parties gained ground in some polls in the campaign’s final days.
The prominence of immigration rhetoric in the contest has raised concerns among members of the Muslim minority over widening discrimination and exclusion. The Sweden Democrats are seeking to turn their parliamentary influence into ministerial participation for the first time, after supporting the right-wing government since the 2022 election without formally joining it.
The distribution of parliamentary seats will determine each bloc’s ability to build a majority and choose the next prime minister, under a proportional electoral system in which parties’ share of seats is linked to the proportion of votes they receive.
