Ekeroth: "It's Game On Again"

EDITORIAL • For a long time, it looked like the election was slipping out of the Tidö parties’ hands. During the spring and early summer, the gap between the blocs was considerable, and the left could lean back on what seemed like a reassuring lead. But the latest opinion poll, with a month left until the election, suggests that something may have changed over the summer.

The latest survey from Demoskop, commissioned by Aftonbladet and SvD, shows that the gap between the blocs is now down to 3.7 percentage points. The red–green parties gather 50.6 percent, while M, KD, L, and SD together reach 46.9 percent.

The gap has thus narrowed significantly and it’s still a disadvantage. But it is no longer an insurmountable one.

With the figures in this poll, a shift of just under two percentage points from one side to the other would be enough to change the majority. Of course, that’s not a small shift—but with 30 days to the election, it’s hardly impossible.

What’s at stake?

Perhaps more voters are beginning to look up and consider what the election is actually about. Which government will lead Sweden over the next four years?

On one side are the Tidö parties. Four parties that don’t always see eye to eye, and during this mandate period have both done many good things and made decisions that can be criticized. But overall, they have carried out and initiated a clear political shift in several important areas.

Migration has been tightened, penalties have been stiffened, focus on crime victims has increased, and a long list of reforms has been implemented to restore things that had been neglected for a long time under the red–green government.

The Sweden Democrats’ influence over government has also meant that issues once seen as almost unthinkable are now part of government policy.

The alternative is something entirely different.

A government led by the Social Democrats would have to hold together the Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Green Party, and the Centre Party. Four parties with major disagreements among them.

The price of governing power would likely be concessions to the left on issues such as taxes, migration, forced dispersal, energy, climate, and criminal policy. The recent party leader interviews have also hardly clarified the picture of a cohesive government alternative.

Magdalena Andersson (S). Facsimile Youtube

Every vote counts

And the closer the race gets, the more important that understanding becomes. A vote is not just about which party you like best. It’s also about which coalition you are willing to entrust with government.

Opinion polls should always be taken for what they are. They are snapshots, not election results. But they can show trends, and right now the trend shows that the election is still alive. That also means the coming weeks really matter.

Elections aren’t won only through TV debates or large campaigns. They are also won around coffee tables, at workplaces, among friends and family, and in all those conversations with people who haven’t yet decided. Many voters make up their minds late. Some do it only in the final days. Now is therefore not the time to sit back.

For those who want to see another four years with the current government and the Sweden Democrats at ministerial posts, it is important to treat every remaining day as the election campaign. Talk politics. Argue your case. Dare to say what you think, even when it’s uncomfortable. Above all, remind people that the election isn’t decided.

That’s also a reason to think carefully before voting for a smaller party. A temporary dissatisfaction with SD over a particular issue should be weighed against what a government change would actually mean.

Such a vote could, in the worst case, contribute to the Social Democrats regaining power, cementing their grip on Swedish politics, and ramping up the left-liberal agenda.

A few months ago, the uphill struggle looked much steeper. Now it’s game on again. And a match that can be won shouldn’t be given away.