Moderates Surge in Dalarna as Social Democrats Demand New Riksdag Speaker

In the 2026 Swedish elections, the Moderates have made significant gains in the Dalarna region, a historic shift highlighted by Ulf Berg, the regional leader who has long worked to change the political landscape from traditional Social Democrat dominance to a blue-center-right majority. Moderates increased their vote share notably in Avesta by nearly 6 percentage points to 27.7%, while the Sweden Democrats saw a decline in support to 13.2%. The Moderates outperformed the red-green coalition in all but two municipalities in Dalarna, attributed largely to their campaign on crime policies—particularly criticism of the Social Democrats' approach to discounts for criminal offenders—and first-time voter support. Despite these gains, the Social Democrats remain the largest party in Avesta, though experiencing their worst results since 1973.

Meanwhile, within the political framework of the Riksdag, the Social Democrats are pushing for changes in parliamentary leadership. Lena Hallengren, the Social Democrats’ group leader, declared the party’s intention to vote against the continued tenure of Andreas Norlén, a Moderate Party member who has served as Riksdag speaker since 2018. Hallengren argues the largest party principle necessitates that the next speaker should be from the Social Democrats, a role they previously conceded to Norlén to block candidates from the Sweden Democrats. This position also extends to all vice speaker roles.

These developments underscore a dynamic period in Sweden’s political landscape, with voter realignment in key regions and strategic positioning within national parliamentary leadership reflecting ongoing shifts from the 2026 election results.