STORY: Swedes in Stockholm expressed surprise and worry as they woke up on Monday (September 14) to the results of a tight election that could make it difficult to form a government.

“It was entertainment to sit and watch how it developed and turn from right to left all night," said Stockholm commuter Jesper Bengtsson.

Auditor Salome de Beer said she was surprised to see an "almost 50-50 split" in people's political opinions, while consultant UIf Vaarlid, who stayed up until 2 a.m. to follow how the results unfolded, said it would be "an interesting couple of days getting the government together".

Sweden's center-left opposition looked set to form the next government as preliminary election results showed it holding a narrow three-seat lead over the right-wing ruling parties with most of the votes counted after Sunday's (September 13) vote.

Left-leaning parties headed by Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson were projected to win 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament while Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing bloc was seen winning 173 seats, the election authority said.

Party leaders, however, have been cautious about claiming victory or accepting defeat with 353 election districts still to be counted and overseas votes not likely to be tallied until Wednesday (September 16).

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Fear, entertainment, surprise: Swedes reflect on tight election result

VIDEO SHOWS: COMMUTERS IN CITY CENTRE, VOXPOPS, ELECTION POSTERS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (SEPTEMBER 14, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. PEOPLE WALKING BY ELECTION POSTERS ON BRIDGE

2. VIEW OF STREET FROM BRIDGE

3. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING BY SOCIAL DEMOCRAT ELECTION POSTERS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STOCKHOLM RESIDENT, ANNA, SAYING:

“It is super close. It’s a little bit scary actually.”

5. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 48-YEAR-OLD I.T. MANAGER, JESPER BENGTSSON, SAYING:

“It was entertainment to sit and watch how it developed and turn from right to left all the night. Actually, it will be some days now where there are a lot of discussions around what it’s going to be in the end. So I don’t think we will have a government in a month or two.”

7. PEOPLE WALKING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 34-YEAR-OLD AUDITOR, SALOME DE BEER, SAYING:

“I am quite surprised, because both sides of the coin have been really adamant with their points of view. So it’s just crazy to see that there’s, like, almost a 50-50 split in, you know, day-to-day people’s thoughts about it.”

9. BUS DRIVING BY

10. ELECTION POSTERS

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 60-YEAR-OLD CONSULTANT, ULF VAARLID, SAYING:

“For me, it was exciting to look (watch) into the late hours, and I was up until around 2 o’clock. So it was really… I liked it, but yes, it’s going to be an interesting couple of days getting the government together and everything.”

12. CENTRAL TRAIN STATION

13. STREET IN FRONT OF CENTRAL STATION

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 28-YEAR-OLD FINANCE WORKER, ALDIN HOSNI, SAYING:

“For us who want the right to win, it’s a bit nervous, I have to say. But still, they didn’t close (the counting) yet, so we still have a couple of days to be decided.”

15. VARIOUS OF CYCLISTS

16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 41-YEAR-OLD PHYSIOTHERAPIST, ERIKA KJELLANDER, SAYING:

“I’m hoping more for the Red-Greens, but it’s very close still, so I mean, they’e still counting a bit of the votes, right? Yeah, we’ll see.”

17. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING