Analysis Reveals Shifts in Populism Within Swedish Parliament

A comprehensive analysis of over 357,000 speeches in the Swedish parliament from 2000 to 2025 shows that only 1.7% of parliamentary speeches exhibit a 'very high' level of populism. The overall average populism index stands at 24.6, with Sverigedemokraterna (SD) topping the rankings at 38, followed by Vänsterpartiet at 30 and Moderaterna at 26. Least populist parties include Socialdemokraterna (21), Miljöpartiet (22), and Kristdemokraterna (24).

Key themes associated with high populism scores relate to crime, migration, and the economy, with scores of 29, 27, and 25 respectively. Notably, rhetoric in parliament has shifted from focusing on a 'people versus elite' narrative towards an 'order versus chaos' framework, signaling a move towards more emotionally charged and divisive debates.

Malin Appelgren, a partner at Paues Åberg, highlighted that the growing demand for media training among experts stems from the prevalence of misinformation spread by politicians and the complex nature of political rhetoric. She expressed concern that the rising emphasis on 'order versus chaos' rhetoric could deepen polarization.

Among individual politicians, Andreas Carlsson (Kristdemokraterna) and Richard Jomshof (Sverigedemokraterna) were identified as leading figures exhibiting the highest populist rhetoric between 2022 and 2025.

This analysis provides deeper insight into the changing quality of parliamentary discourse amid Sweden's current political volatility, as public dissatisfaction grows regarding political cooperation and governance delays following the 2026 elections.