The far right’s march to power in Sweden has been halted, but its influence remains

The Sweden Democrats slipped to third after decades of growth, but their hardline positions have already reshaped the political mainstream

• Swedish centre-left opposition widens lead to three seats with 95% of votes counted – live

Since the party was founded in 1988, the story of the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) has been one of such continuous growth that a triumph in Sunday’s general election seemed inevitable.

In 2022, the party capitalised on electoral gains – and the desperation of right-leaning parties to form a minority administration – and almost made its way into government. A supporting role in prime minister Ulf Kristersson’s Tidö coalition earned the party, which has neo-Nazi roots, huge influence and mainstream acceptance by the political establishment.