Billionaires weigh in as Sweden goes to the polls

This week: Joy for Liberals as support swells, Sweden Democrats and Left Party hit by scandals, immigration in focus in TV debate, billionaires duel over which side to back, and poor school results throw a spanner in the works.

Two of Sweden’s wealthiest people, Jacob Wallenberg and Martin Lorentzon, warned in the Financial Times this week about the risks of a left-wing government. Another, Robert Weil, shot back, saying he was more concerned about “an ethno-nationalist and authoritarian policy where the issue of migration is allowed to dominate at the expense of other issues and interests."

Meanwhile, the Liberals are poised to clear the 4 percent threshold they need to get into parliament, according to a new Novus poll showing that the party had leapt from 1.9 percent to 5.8 percent.

The poll follows others that showed significant gains for the Liberals after months in which the party has languished well under the threshold, leaving many commentators to all but write off their chances – and those of Ulf Kristersson’s government.

On Sunday we'll find out if the Prime Minister's coalition has done enough to claw their way back or if Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson gets a second bite at the top job.

Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange.

Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:

2026 Swedish election

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