Sverigedemokraterna Surges in December Polls Amid Controversial Residency Proposal Debate

Recent opinion polls reveal a significant surge in support for Sverigedemokraterna (SD), with the party increasing its backing by 2.7 percentage points to 23.7%, according to a TV4/Novus survey. This rise mainly draws voters away from Socialdemokraterna (S), while Moderaterna has seen a decline of 1.8 percentage points, with its voters more likely to abstain rather than switch allegiance to SD. Despite the rise, the rödgröna parties maintain a lead at 50.3%, but the gap with the Tidöpartierna coalition, which includes SD, has tightened to 47.6%. Other parties like Liberalerna and Kristdemokraterna show slight gains, whereas Centerpartiet, Vänsterpartiet, and Miljöpartiet have experienced minor drops.

Parallel to this electoral shift, Sverigedemokraterna has introduced a controversial legislative proposal aiming to retroactively revoke permanent residency permits. This unprecedented move in Swedish legal tradition has alarmed five major trade unions who have unified in opposition, highlighting the proposal’s threat to both workers’ lives and the broader labor market. They argue that it breaches democratic principles, EU law, and international conventions, potentially affecting thousands in critical sectors such as healthcare, industry, retail, and hospitality.

The unions warn that revoking established residency rights risks destabilizing Sweden’s workforce, harming the economy, and undermining social cohesion. They stress that Sweden’s success as an immigrant-friendly country has relied on secure residency and integration opportunities, which this proposal jeopardizes. The unions call on the government to reject the proposal to preserve stability and trust, urging that it be discarded entirely.

This dynamic political landscape illustrates growing public support for SD amidst rising concerns about the party’s policy proposals and their potential socio-economic impact. Torbjörn Sjöström, CEO of Novus, notes that although the rödgröna block leads, the narrowing margin signals a shifting electorate.

As the debate continues, the government faces pressure to balance electoral trends with safeguarding democratic values and labor market stability, highlighting an increasingly polarized political atmosphere in Sweden.