For the first time since SD entered the Riksdag in 2010, the party backs down in a national election. When 6,175 of the 6,275 electoral districts counted on election night were counted, SD was one of the EU election’s losers.
SD does indeed retain its three mandates in the EU Parliament, but expectations were significantly higher than that. The party had aimed to become the second largest party in the EU election as well.
SD gets 13.2 percent, while the Moderates reach 17.6 percent. The big surprise of the evening was the Green Party, which became the third largest party with 13.8 percent.
– It is wonderful to see these numbers. We are strong, we are the third largest party, says the mouthpiece Daniel Helldén.
– I think the Swedish people realize that SD is not an alternative.
SD and Åkesson explain the loss
The SD leader Jimmie Åkesson gave a speech to disappointed Sweden Democrats.
– We will have to think about why we are not growing.
But he also had an explanation for the setback. According to Åkesson, SD wanted to talk during the election campaign about how Sweden should advance its position in the EU.
– We have had to talk about completely different things.
Åkesson stated that the party had to go through a tough election campaign and was referring to TV4’s revelation about the party’s anonymous accounts in social media.
– But we are not the party that jams along, we do not lie down and say sorry when we have done nothing wrong, he said.
At the Moderate party’s election vigil, they blew their breath, after being allowed to retain their position as the second largest party in the EU elections.
– Order has been restored, says the top candidate Tomas Tobé.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson was more restrained in the celebration and instead reached out to other parties.
When the dust settles after the election campaign, let’s look more at everything that can unite us – Team Sweden in the EU.
Shivering evening for L
No party looks set to leave the EU Parliament. The Liberals had a shaky evening, but in the end the party ended up just above the four percent barrier of 4.4 percent.
– We were calculated – but they were wrong – again, says the L leader Johan Pehrson.
KD and C were also among the crisis parties before the election campaign, but got onto safe ground even if KD loses one of its two mandates. KD gets 5.7 percent and C 7.3.
The Left Party was another of the evening’s winners and increases from one to two mandates. V looks set to get 10.9 percent and if so increases the most of all.
– If this had been a parliamentary election, we would have swept the course with the Tidö parties, says top candidate Jonas Sjöstedt.
S increases slightly
S increases slightly to 24.9 percent. It is the first time that the party has progressed in an EU election and that was also S’s goal.
– Our main opponent backs down for the first time in a general election, says S leader Magdalena Andersson and refers to SD.
The preliminary election result means that V takes a mandate from KD. Others retain their mandates.
The votes for the last districts remain to be counted. The final result is expected later this week.