Analysis: Still tough for S when immigration and crime are in focus

Novus 'survey of voters' most important issues does not mean any major changes compared to the last survey. Health care is still top notch, while immigration and integration, as well as law and order, come on the scene thereafter.

The fact is that health care is increasing in importance among voters, but most of the political debate is instead about law and order and immigration. This in itself is not very surprising considering the many explosions and shootings that have taken place over the past year.

Law and order also touches on their highest record ever in this investigation, which can also be interpreted as a consequence of the development of serious crime.

Novus's investigation is based on the political issues that the respondents consider to be most important right now. If you look only at the first choice of the respondents, that is, what can be defined as the single most important issue of the voters, a partially different picture emerges.

Immigration / integration (19 percent) is at the top of the law and order (14 percent) in second place. Healthcare (13 percent) and environment / climate (13 percent) are in a shared third place.

In light of this, the continued rise of the Swedish Democrats in public opinion is perfectly logical. That it is the SD that is growing and not the Moderates can probably be explained by the fact that many voters, like the SD, associate immigration policy with the crime.

The voters of the Moderates also rank crime and immigration high. However, the Social Democrats' voters rank health care and distribution policy higher than crime and immigration policy.

The fact that the government and the Social Democrats still focus so much on crime is partly due to the fact that many voters are uncertain and that the S leadership wants to slow down further electoral transfers to SD.

Nevertheless, it is of course a difficult opinion situation for the Social Democrats who have difficulty growing when the debate is dominated by issues such as crime and immigration. The party's difficulties have been clearly illustrated in recent times where, among other things, Stefan Löfven's TV interview in Agenda has been both noted and criticized.

It is also interesting that 13 per cent of voters place the environmental and climate issue as their first choice for the most important political issue. Not surprising given the climate debate. On the other hand, it is noteworthy that the Environmental Party in this opinion alone is able to attract 4.8 per cent of voters. A sign of weakness for a party which in practice is only associated with a single issue.