A rising far-right is not the big story of Sweden’s election. It’s fragmentation

The expected increase in support for the far-right Swedish Democrats is mirrored by the growth of the parties most opposed to it.

By Dr Itay Lotem

As next week’s Swedish elections loom, journalists are arriving in Stockholm on a mission to uncover why a party with undeniable roots in neo-Nazi movements is projected to become the nation’s second largest.

Already the coverage is predictable. Just as in other European election cycles since 2016, it will tell the story of a rising far-right, and it will not be untrue. And yet, it will miss the point.