Mattias Bäckström Johansson, deputy party secretary for the Sweden Democrats, says that the reason for the party's decision is that they want to avoid empty seats after the election, i.e. SD gets a mandate but lacks politicians to represent the party.
— We've had a problem with empty chairs, and it's something we've worked hard on.
We are a serious actor and want to participate in politics at the levels where we are elected, he tells the newspaper.
Jan-Olov Adolfsson, chairman of the MP in Aneby, says that the party chose not to participate in the municipal election because they could not find a first name for the lists.
The deadline for the Riksdag parties to request to be removed from the election expired on 28 July.