2010-09-19 08:52:11
Swedes are voting in parliamentary polls, with the centre-right coalition
expected to win re-election.
The government is riding high in opinion polls against the Social Democrats and
their allies, following tax cuts and a strong recovery.
The centre-left Social Democrats have ruled Sweden for 65 of the past 78 years,
and are credited with setting up the country's generous welfare state.
A far-right party is tipped to win seats for the first time.
The prime minister said he did not want to speculate on how his Alliance for
Sweden coalition would deal with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats if they
get into parliament.
However, analysts warn a strong swing to the right could cost Prime Minister
Fredrik Reinfeldt's Alliance for Sweden its majority.
Both main political blocs have said they would rather co-operate with each
other than form a coalition with a party which they say is racist and
xenophobic.
Mr Reinfeldt has urged Swedes to vote tactically in Sunday's election to keep
out the far right.
BBC regional reporter Damien McGuinness says the Sweden Democrats appear to
have tapped into voter dissatisfaction over immigration.
Immigrants make up 14% of the country's population of 9.4 million.
The largest immigrant group is from neighbouring Finland, followed by people
from Iraq, the former Yugoslavia and Poland.