The world’s press was all geared up to write “Rabble-rousing Sweden Democrat breakthrough” but Sweden’s voters have not obliged. The populists were aiming for first place, but remain in third place, behind the conservatives. The Christian Democrats (led by Ebba Busch Thor, pictured, above) and the Centre Party gained more seats between them (16) than the Sweden Democrats did (13 seats, to a total of 62). The governing Social Democrats had their worst result for decades, but have still ended up the largest party by far. Swedes woke up to find parliament looking like this:-
V: LeftParty (ie, former Communists). S: Social Democrats. MP: Greens. SD: Sweden Democrats (in the middle because no one will enter an alliance with them). L: Liberals. C: Centre Party. KD: Christian Democrats and M: Moderaterna (ie, the conservatives, who led government 2008-14). Graphic from SVT.
This will be a disappointment for Akesson. Given that YouGov polls put him in first place, it was plausible that he might make it. Given the ability of populism to do better than expected across Europe, many were braced for an Akesson breakthrough. The social democrat Prime Minister, Stefan Loftven, was talking about a left-right coalition with the conservatives to keep the populists out. This won’t be needed. The odds are that Loftven will stay: his red-green bloc is now about the same size as the right-wing bloc, but his party easily won the most votes. The populists have stolen the world’s attention, but last night they did not steal the show.
“Sweden: we are leading, and are winning!” says Akesson in his party’s summer festival in Sölveborg a few weeks ago. He even claimed last night that he has won. Up to a point, Lord Copper.
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