With only a week left until the election, the state of opinion between the two government documents appears to be very even. A group of voters who can have a direct decision on the outcome are the Swedes abroad. In that case, it wouldn’t be the first time.
On election night in 1979, the socialist bloc appeared headed for a narrow victory. But the majority shifted in favor of the bourgeois parties after the last postal votes were counted. A large percentage of them were foreign votes.
M invests in personal film
Ahead of this year’s election, the Moderate Party seems to be investing the most in reaching voters outside Sweden’s borders.
M has sent letters to all 160,000 Swedes abroad who are on the voter register. This was also done before the last election, but new for this year is that the letter also contains a QR code that leads to a personal video greeting from Ulf Kristersson.
– Ulf has read in the names of the vast majority, although not all, says communications manager Martin Borgs.
The party is also trying to reach out in other ways. During Midsummer Eve, for example, they campaigned in Hyde Park, London.
SD: More visible in foreign media
The Sweden Democrats also state that they are investing more in foreign voters this year. Compared to the last election, the party has undergone a professionalization, says press manager Oskar Cavalli-Björkman.
Among other things, it is about reaching out to a greater extent through social media and foreign media.
– In short, we have a wider network of contacts with international media than we had in 2018. This of course opens many doors and more opportunities for exposure in foreign press.
The Center Party and the Liberals, just like M this year, have contacted Swedes abroad by mail. C has sent around 45,000 letters, while L has addressed mailings to “certain Swedes abroad”. L has also made targeted investments in social media.
S, V, MP and KD: No special investments
Four parties – the Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Green Party and the Christian Democrats – do not invest particularly in the Swedish expatriate voter group.
“We have the same message for everyone – and believe that even Swedes abroad follow Swedish media in a digital world,” answers S’s press service.
Previous research shows that the foreign votes have mainly benefited the Moderates. Hear researcher and election expert Maria Solevid explain more in the video above.