Swedish election too close to call

With 94 percent of the votes counted, a coalition led by the Sweden Democrats—a populist, anti-immigration party—has a narrow lead in the country’s elections. A final result won’t be announced until officials count outstanding postal votes and votes from abroad, which are often conservative. Eight parties are vying for seats in the parliament, so the leading party will have to form a bloc to secure a majority. In this election, two parties campaigned: one conservative and one center-left group headed by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. The vote could be decided Wednesday.

What is the Sweden Democrats’ platform? The party started in the 1980s with links to fascist and neo-Nazi movements but has since moved away from those ties and gained popularity. It promises to limit immigration and be tough on crime, which many Swedes may look for amid rising gang violence.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Reichard’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about Sweden and Finland’s bid to join NATO and what that might mean for the United States.