STOCKHOLM, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Polling stations opened across Sweden on Sunday morning in a closely watched parliamentary election that could see the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) enter government for the first time or the center-left return to power after four years in opposition.
Opinion polls had generally put the center-left opposition ahead of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's governing right-wing camp. Still, the gap narrowed sharply in the final days of the campaign, making the race tighter as voting began.
The SD, long excluded from government by established parties because of its far-right roots, has supported Kristersson's government from outside the cabinet since 2022 and is now seeking ministerial posts if the right-wing bloc retains power.
On the eve of the election, SD leader Magdalena Andersson, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party, said that she would "never allow herself to be controlled by extremist forces" if she became prime minister. She accused Kristersson of being unable to make the same promise.
Kristersson defended his cooperation with the SD, saying it helped address crime and immigration and make decisions needed to revive the economy.
More than 8 million people are eligible to vote, with healthcare, education, law and order, immigration and integration among the key issues. Polling stations are open from 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) to 8 p.m., with preliminary results expected later Sunday. Regional and municipal elections are also being held.
"I cannot see which side would make my life any better. It all sounds like political rhetoric to me," a Stockholm restaurant waiter who declined to give his name told Xinhua.
Sweden's parliament, the Riksdag, has 349 seats, with parliamentary elections held every four years. ■
