- Reinfeldt has stepped down as prime minister and Moderate leader
- Social Democrats are largest party, Löfven set for PM
- Alliance has lost power
- Sweden Democrats are 3rd largest party
- New government may be "weak" and "tricky"
- Feminist party fails to win first seat
00:26 James Savage, at the Social Democrats, says the DJ is playing ‘Celebrate’.
Löfven promises no cooperation with Sweden Democrats. "Remember, 87 percent of @sweden DIDN'T vote for them," he says.
— Oliver Gee (@TheUppsalaKoala) September 14, 2014
i want to thank Reinfeldt. I have respect for you as person and politician #Löfven #valet2014 pic.twitter.com/u43qxPXqrN
— James Savage (@jamesstockholm) September 14, 2014
Stefan Löfven arrives to applause from party comrades #val2014 pic.twitter.com/DRq3hEB035
— James Savage (@jamesstockholm) September 14, 2014
Fredrik Reinfeldt doing his thanks. He is stepping down as PM and party leader after 8 years. #swedenelections pic.twitter.com/Av5Dnpywvd
— Oliver Gee (@TheUppsalaKoala) September 14, 2014
"I think we should recognize that we are just a little bit disappointed," she said.
Young voters at the SD party event.
Social Democrats wait for leader and likely next PM Stefan Löfven #val2014 pic.twitter.com/qPZCtizE3B
— James Savage (@jamesstockholm) September 14, 2014
This is the worst party I've ever been to. Deadly silence as latest results read out. Moderates dropped 7 percent. pic.twitter.com/hbTiwLdBCV
— Oliver Gee (@TheUppsalaKoala) September 14, 2014
Jimmie Åkesson has thanked #SwedenDemocrats for their "fantastic" work as party looks set to double seats #val2014 pic.twitter.com/AjK7AU0CUW
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) September 14, 2014
#SwedenDemocrat leader Jimmie Åkesson set to get more than 30% of vote in #Sölvesborg making his party the biggest in his home town #val2014
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) September 14, 2014
Employment Minister Elisabeth Svantesson: "The voters have spoken, it's a great disappointment," she said. pic.twitter.com/BvseE6a8Ca
— Oliver Gee (@TheUppsalaKoala) September 14, 2014
The Local’s Peter Vinthagen Simpson has spoken to Claes Decker, known as the wealthy financier who bank-rolled the first Fi election campaign in 2006.
"It is fantastic. It is a tightrope whether we come in or not, but we will get in in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Umeå, Simrishamn and will get party support," Decker said.
"This is a fantastic platform for the election 2018. We can’t be stopped."
Decker grabbed the headlines when he donated money to the party in 2005. He has since been followed by donors such as Abba Benny Andersson. Decker says that this time around Fi has made the most of its paltry funds.
Read about the Feminist party's policies
"We can’t be everywhere all the time as we don’t have the resources. We have shown that with very small means we can achieve a lot."
21:16 Paul O'Mahony at the Greens: Green Party members are crushed.
A premilinary result of 7.1 percent is way below expectations. People at the election party have described their "deep sadness" and "devastation" at a score that looks like coming in below their 2010 result.
"The four centre-right parties have had their worst-ever election, at least since we got a unicameral parliament," he told The Local's James Savage.
He described the projections for the Social Democrats as "an OK result", and pointed out that the result seemed to be up slightly from 2010 (by 0.4 percentage points according to the SVT poll).
He said it was hard to draw conclusions from the polls as to whether the Feminists will get in. "It’s such a small margin."
"Fi have said they’ll support us, so we should welcome that – I’m not going to challenge them on that."
A tense wait at @socialdemokrat election party. The big question: will @Feministerna get in. Many people here hope they will.
— James Savage (@jamesstockholm) September 14, 2014
20:58 The Local's Maddy Savage has spoken with Sweden Democrat Björn Söder about the result of the exit poll – and the party's many scandals. Listen here:
20:55 The Moderate party – and the Alliance – looks set to admit defeat.
"We Moderates set our sights high, but more than anything the Alliance was aiming to be reelected. And we're not going to succeed with that," Moderate party secretary Kent Persson told Aftonbladet.
20:46 Ballots are being counted and the anticipation and tension tangible. It looks like the Feminist party might make it into parliament – but the Sweden Democrats will also have a strong role.
Peter Vinthagen is at the Feminist party event on Södermalm. He spoke with Viktoria Kawesa, number 3 on Fi’s Riksdag list to gauge her reaction on the exit poll and the secrets behind Fi’s rise.
"We expect to get in," Kawesa said. "We are just wondering how high we are going to go."'
Fi supporters celebrating the exit poll results
Kawesa, who has profiled her campaign on the fight against racism in general and afrophobia in particular, identified anti-racism as the key issue behind the upswing for Fi.
"I think the biggest thing is SD. That is the main reason why lots of young people are joining Fi. We are the clearest on racism issues and the only ones who have warned of the danger of the Sweden Democrats."
20:37 Managing editor James Savage is at the Social Democrats' election party. Former Social Democrat minister Björn Rosengren told him he was hoping for the Feminists to get in, to level out the power of the Sweden Democrats – who may now be Sweden's third largest party.
Curious about the Social Democrats' policies? Read The Local's guide here.
20:09 The Greens had lower results, scoring 7.1 percent in the exit poll.
A sigh ran through the Green Party crowd as exit poll shows 7.1%, down 0.2 points on 2010. Hugely disappointing, they long polled over 10%
— Paul O'Mahony (@OMahonyPaul) September 14, 2014
20:06 If the numbers from the exit poll hold, then the red-greens will have a new government – and the Sweden Democrats are now Sweden's third largest party, scoring 10.5 percent of the vote.
Huge cheers at nationalist #SwedenDemocrat election night party as polls suggest they will get 10.5 percent of vote. pic.twitter.com/AQ9SI7sJYx
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) September 14, 2014'
20:04 Polls have now closed.
An initial exit poll has been released, and while the numbers are not certain, it may be a good indicator. The poll shows the red-greens in the lead – signifcantly.
Moderates at 22.2 percent. Deadly silence. Alliance at 39.7. Red greens 44.8. pic.twitter.com/fu90uomOIa
— Oliver Gee (@TheUppsalaKoala) September 14, 2014
19:59 The Local's Oliver Gee just spoke with Foreign Minister and Moderate Carl Bildt.
I asked him about his thoughts on the red-greens – what are their weaknesses?
"They're disunited on quite a number of important topics, be that economic policy or be that foreign policy. They can gloss over that to some extent, but governence is a day to day business, and sooner or later those fissures will be there. And that's sort of worrying, irrespective of the contents of their policies," he said.
Just spoke to Foreign Minister Carl Bildt about the election in a global perspective. @TheLocalSweden @carlbildt pic.twitter.com/9hSSZCXWt8
— Oliver Gee (@TheUppsalaKoala) September 14, 2014
19:50 Paul O'Mahony at the Greens: The Green Party had Gangnam Style pumping out of the speakers just as I arived at their election-night event a few minutes ago. But will they be dancing later?
"Remember the EU election," she said. "We should drag off a little so that we don’t get disappointed later."
Still, the atmosphere remained upbeat, Peter Vinthagen reports – more like a house party than an election party.
'regardless of the election result, we have won'. I'll get some reaction on that one. Hopes are high in here. #val2014
— Peter Vinthagen (@petervinthagen) September 14, 2014
19:22 It's no secret that immigration is a hot topic for the Sweden Democrats, but our editor Maddy Savage has encountered something a bit unusual.
Maddy Savage at the Sweden Democrats: Candidate Mårten Hjärtenfalk has got people talking by wearing a Scottish kilt at the party's election night gathering.
Carl Bildt on the scene at the Moderates. https://t.co/Tc1GUvsdMz
— The Local Sweden (@TheLocalSweden) September 14, 2014
Oliver Gee just left the Left Party, where he spoke with leader Jonas Sjöstedt.
#SwedenDemocrats are allowing journalists into #Stockholm election night party. But press centre is dark with no wifi pic.twitter.com/tsGWBeIOzh
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) September 14, 2014
Party leader @gudschy just beat me to the door. #val2014 pic.twitter.com/ERA382hzD8
— Peter Vinthagen (@petervinthagen) September 14, 2014
Stunning day in #Stockholm as #Sweden votes. I'm heading to #Djurgården to report on #SwedenDemocrats election party pic.twitter.com/VGgxYoigSl
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) September 14, 2014
Sweden Democrat Kent Ekeroth jokes that his party will block all media “when the time comes” https://t.co/u5jVzhdW1z #val2014
— Paul O'Mahony (@OMahonyPaul) September 14, 2014
16:28 If you're new to the scene, don't miss our guide to Swedish elections and how they work. We've also got the lowdown on who's who – and what they want.
Election coverage starts now. Follow @maddysavage, @TheUppsalaKoala, @OMahonyPaul, @jamesstockholm, @petervinthagen, and @RundquistS #val14
— The Local/Oliver (@TheLocalSweden) September 14, 2014
16:20 Our editor Maddy Savage will be visiting the Sweden Democrats and the Liberal Party tonight, while Oliver Gee will be covering the Moderates and the Left Party. James Savage will present updates from the Social Democrats.
Follow Paul O'Mahony for updates on the Greens and the Centre Party, and Peter Vinthagen Simpson to find out whether or not the Feminists will make it. You can follow them all on Twitter.
Solveig Rundquist will be at The Local's offices in central Stockholm, presenting the live updates throughout the night.