January 03, 2010
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for Sweden’s centre-left parties increased steadily in the last three months of 2009, according to a poll by Synovate published in Dagens Nyheter. 49.4 per cent of respondents would vote for the Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S), the Environmental Party - The Greens (MP), or the Left Party (Vp) in next year’s legislative ballot.
The governing alliance—featuring the Moderate Rally Party (M), the People’s Party Liberals (FpL), the Centre Party (C) and the Christian-Democrats (KD)—is second with 42.9 per cent. The far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) garner the support of 5.3 per cent of decided voters—above the threshold to earn seats in the legislature.
Swedish voters renewed the Diet in September 2006. The centre-right alliance secured 178 seats, ending the ten-year tenure of Social-Democrat prime minister Goran Persson. Moderate leader Fredrik Reinfeldt became prime minister in October 2006. In January 2007, former sustainable development minister Mona Sahlin took over as the new leader of the Social-Democrats.
Last month, SD leader Jimmie Akesson said he expects his party to win seats in the Diet, adding, "At this point a lot would have to happen for us to not to get more than four per cent. (...) We’ve said that we won’t actively support Mona Sahlin as prime minister because she’s a symbol for failed integration. But the other bloc isn’t much better and I won’t rule out cooperating with the red-green bloc."
The next general election in Sweden is scheduled for Sept. 19.
Polling Data
What party would you support in the next general election?
Dec. 2009
Nov. 2009
Oct. 2009
Opposition Parties (Centre-Left)
49.4%
48.7%
47.2%
Workers’ Party - Social-Democrats (S)
34.3%
35.0%
34.6%
Environmental Party - The Greens (MP)
9.8%
9.1%
7.8%
Left Party (Vp)
5.3%
4.6%
4.8%
Governing Alliance (Centre-Right)
42.9%
45.4%
46.5%
Moderate Rally Party (M)
26.7%
30.2%
29.0%
People’s Party Liberals (FpL)
6.7%
6.2%
7.8%
Centre Party (C)
4.9%
4.9%
5.0%
Christian-Democrats (KD)
4.7%
4.1%
4.7%
Sweden Democrats (SD)
5.3%
4.7%
3.9%
Source: Synovate / Dagens Nyheter Methodology: Interviews with 2,221 Swede voters, conducted from Dec. 2 to Dec. 16, 2009. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.