Sweden’s final count gave the Left a 176-173 majority, after early projections had shown a one-seat left-wing edge. The Swedish Electoral Authority reported the final tally on Thursday.
The right had narrowed the gap late in the campaign. But the bigger trend was already visible: immigration has reshaped Sweden’s electorate.
Official population statistics show that about 28% of residents have a foreign background, including Europeans. Non-European immigrants alone accounted for roughly 11% of the population in 2025, before counting Swedish-born descendants. One estimate, based on official statistics, puts eligible voters with non-European backgrounds at roughly one million, or about 13% of the electorate.
Exit-poll findings point the same way. They show 70% of voters with non-European upbringings or parental backgrounds backed the Left bloc. Social Democrats received 38%, the Left Party 21%, Greens 7%, and Center Party 4%. Moderates received 12%, and Sweden Democrats 10%.
The Sweden Democrats also fell from 20.5% in 2022 to 17.5% in the final vote count, even as tighter migration policy moved into the mainstream. Backed by SD, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s coalition tightened migration rules, drove asylum applications to their lowest level since 1985, and eased pressure on schools, housing, police, and public services.
Why it matters: The party that forced immigration onto the agenda may still lose the political payoff. That is the warning for every conservative coalition that thinks one policy fight ends the larger contest.
The bottom line: Policy can change fast. Demographics take longer. For voters who care about sovereignty, public order, and civic cohesion, Sweden is a reminder that border control is not enough if the political damage is already baked in.