Sweden's political gender gap widens ahead of September election

A new Statistics Sweden survey shows a growing divide between male and female voters as the country heads toward its September parliamentary election. Men are twice as likely as women to back the far‑right Sweden Democrats, while women favour the governing Social Democrats by about ten percentage points. The poll indicates that if only women voted, the left‑leaning bloc led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson would capture roughly 64% of the vote, whereas a men‑only electorate would give the right‑leaning parties, including the Sweden Democrats and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s Moderates, about 51%.

Political scientists attribute the split to differing economic priorities: men in the private sector tend to support lower taxes, a smaller public sector and reduced immigration, while women rely more on Sweden’s extensive welfare state and are concerned with caregiving responsibilities. Interviews with voters such as pharmacy assistant Nelly Ailo and housing worker Ermias Balcha illustrate these motivations, highlighting economic concerns for men and perceived declines in social support for women under the current government.