Sweden is experiencing an expanding political divide between male and female voters ahead of the upcoming general election in September, according to recent polling data.
A survey by Statistics Sweden shows that support for the far-right Sweden Democrats among male voters is twice as high as among female voters.
Conversely, the center-left Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, enjoy female backing that is 10 percentage points higher than male support.
If only women voted, the left-leaning bloc led by Andersson would secure 64% of the vote.
If only men voted, the right-leaning parties led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of the Moderates would claim a 51% majority.
Roots of the Divide
Lena Wängnerud, a political science professor at the University of Gothenburg, noted that the divergent political movement between genders has been developing since the 1970s.
However, she pointed out that the Sweden Democrats have recently overtaken the center-right Moderates as the primary choice for male voters.
Her research indicates that men working in the private sector lean toward the right wing due to policies favoring lower taxes, a smaller public sector, and reduced immigration.
"The fact that women have not shifted to the right to the same extent, regardless of whether they work in the public or private sector, stems from their greater reliance on a well-functioning welfare state, given that they still bear the primary responsibility for caregiving in the private sphere," Wängnerud said.
Pharmacy assistant Nelly Ailo shared a similar perspective regarding the primary motivations driving male voters in Södertälje, a city near Stockholm.
"First it is economics – what is better for them," she said. "They vote about economics.
Not 'is it good for people? Is it good for children?
Is it good for …?' No, no, no.
For them it is high salaries, low tax on petrol."
Ermias Balcha, an assisted housing worker, disagreed, stating that conditions for the unemployed and pensioners have deteriorated under the current administration.
"It gets worse and worse actually. There are people who are pensioners who hardly get any pension or pay," Balcha said.
He believes voting for the Social Democrats is the best option but noted the party needs to improve its appeal to male voters.
Polling Breakdown and Coalition Dynamics
The annual party sympathy survey published by Statistics Sweden in June showed that 39% of women backed the Social Democrats compared to 29% of men.
The data also showed that 25% of men and 12% of women supported the Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson.
Kristersson's Moderate party placed third with 17% overall support, showing a more balanced gender distribution among its voters.
The Social Democrats remain the largest political entity in Sweden but have spent the last four years in opposition.
The current minority-run rightwing coalition is led by Kristersson and relies on the parliamentary support of the Sweden Democrats.
Kristersson has pledged to grant the Sweden Democrats official ministerial posts regarding immigration and integration if the coalition wins the next election.
Reactions to Right-Wing Campaigning Strategies
Observers note that the Sweden Democrats have already influenced national policy, shifting the political spectrum rightward on issues of immigration and crime.
In response to low female support, rightwing parties have introduced public transport discounts and increased discussions surrounding fertility and childcare.
Moska Hassas, chair of the Social Democrats youth association (SSU), described these specific campaign efforts aimed at young women as demeaning.
"They [right-leaning political parties] are so desperate that they don't know that young women also care about politics," she said.
"All the traditional values – that women should be in the kitchen, which we have heard from Tidö side, that women shouldn't do conscription – it's a sick backlash that they are turning back time."
Hassas also raised concerns about political disillusionment among young men, warning that extreme forces and criminal gangs are capitalizing on this trend.
