Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson's Social Democrats will remain the largest political force in Sweden after the polls close in Sunday's parliamentary elections, according to preliminary expectations.
Two opinion polls showed a slight advance for Anderson's left-wing bloc in the general election, as well as an increase in the far-right.
The four left-wing parties received 50.6% of voter support in the poll on TV4, compared to 48% for the four right-wing parties.
Another opinion poll conducted by public broadcaster SVT showed that the left received 49.8%, and the right 49.2%.
The issue of crime and inflation dominated the electoral campaigns, and the choice before the voters was either the establishment of a government backed by the extreme right, or the left winning a third term.
This gave those elections a new character, as it was not previously reported that the traditional right would take over with the support - either directly or indirectly - of the "Sweden Democrats" party.
Political experts rule out a political crisis similar to the one that followed the 2018 elections, when tough negotiations took place that lasted four months to form the government, as the two camps are clear this time.
The victory of the right, with the support of the extreme right, will open a new political stage in Sweden, at a time when the country is preparing to take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on January 1, and to complete its historic candidacy mechanism to join NATO.
And if the left achieves a new victory, it will bring down the strategy of rapprochement between the right and the Sweden Democrats, and cut off the way for them to reach power.
Proportional elections aim to award 349 seats in total, and only parties that achieve more than 4% of the vote get seats.
The appointment of a prime minister requires that he obtain an absolute majority of votes in favor, provided that the number of opponents does not reach 145 votes.