It was sunny in Söderköping when Jimmie Åkesson kicked off his party's election canal boat tour, but the election landscape isn't looking particularly bright for the Sweden Democrats and the governing parties in the Tidö coalition.
"I am quite certain that a great many voters appreciate what we have done," said Åkesson after a combined press conference and speech at Fiskartorget in Söderköping, during which he also announced a election promise that, if re-elected, his party would have all new legislation to be tested based on its consequences for rural areas.
The Tidö parties – which include the governing Moderates, Christian Democrats, and Liberals, along with the Sweden Democrats as a support party – have fulfilled many of the promises that were put on paper in the Tidö Agreement. Fuel prices have been pushed down (with many billions in reduced revenue for the state as a result) , shootings have decreased, and immigration has decreased.
Yet the Sweden Democrats and the government parties do not seem to be benefiting from this in public opinion. In Statistic Sweden's large party sympathy survey in June, the red-green parties, now in opposition, polled around 12 percent higher than the Tidö coalition parties.
"I put my trust in what we have done," said Åkesson, dressed for the day in shorts, a very patterned shirt, and a sun hat.
The canal tour is taking place a little earlier this year than it did last year, but has the same structure as before.
According to Åkesson's colleagues, it is a way to meet voters over an ice cream instead of the usual election meetings with brochures. Voters are not expected to be that interested in electioneering during the summer holiday season in Sweden.
The party has rented the large yacht, which they have as a base for the canal tour, from an acquaintance, Åkesson said, but he does not know how much it costs. However, he said, "it is not free, [it's] damn expensive".
When asked by press why the public support for the Tidö coalition is low, despite fulfilled promises, he said:
"Yes, I think that is a difficult question to answer."
The Sweden Democrats have no set target for voter support in the election, but they would like at least more than in the 2022 election. Then the party received 20.5 percent and overtook the Moderates as the second largest party (the largest is the Social Democrats).
Now the party is polling below their 2022 election result, with 18.3 percent in the June SCB poll. However, far-right parties like the Sweden Democrats typically return better results in elections than opinion polls. The 18.3 percent poll figure from this past June is higher than the party received in the same poll before the 2022 election (when they received 20.5 percent of the vote).
For this campaign, what does Åkesson say is the Sweden Democrats' most important issue?
"I think our slogan of security, freedom and Swedishness sums up what Sweden needs."
"We do not need a left that creates problems to justify its own existence, but what we need is to continue to build Sweden safer, build Sweden freer."
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