Sweden Democrats deny support to the Liberals ahead of future elections
Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, has made it clear that his party will not assist the Liberals in future elections. Despite the parties cooperating within the government coalition, Åkesson says he will not ask his voters to vote tactically to save the Liberals from falling below the parliamentary threshold.
The Liberals have for a long time struggled to reach high numbers in opinion polls. For a party to remain in the Riksdag, at least four percent of the votes are required. If a party falls below this limit, they lose their seat in parliament, which would affect the current government's balance of power.
The strategy of asking voters to vote for another party to help them is called tactical voting. Åkesson emphasizes that Sweden Democrat voters should vote for their own party and that he does not intend to get involved in the Liberals' situation. He believes that every party must be able to stand on its own merits to earn its place in the Riksdag.
The announcement creates uncertainty regarding future cooperation within the so-called Tidö Agreement. If the Liberals do not manage to remain in the Riksdag in the next election, it could change the conditions for how the government can lead the country. The question of how the center-right parties will handle voter support therefore remains an important political discussion in Sweden moving forward.