A poll for the Sydsvenskan newspaper found that the Social Democrats and Green Party have both increased their support among voters in Malmö since the 2022 election, from 30.7 to 32.2 percent and 5.5 percent to 7.7 percent respectively.
The far-right Sweden Democrats have also increased their support in the city from 14.9 percent to 16.7 percent.
The Moderates, Liberals and Christian Democrats have all lost support, however, making it more or less impossible for the right-wing parties to take over.
The Centre Party, which has previously campaigned to oust the Social Democrats, has also this year said it is open to joining a coalition led by the Social Democrats.
In the Skåne regional government, the Sweden Democrats – who currently act as a support party to a right-wing coalition – are now insisting on joining the regional government after the election, if the right-wing retain power. There is also a chance that the Liberal Party falls below the 3 percent threshold for seats in the regional government.
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What are the big issues in Skåne?
A voter survey in the regional elections found that the price of public transport tickets was the top issue for voters.
The Social Democrats are pledging to cut the cost of a monthly pass for public transport in the region to 500 kronor from 1,300 in the spring, effectively extending the halving of the price the national government brought in across Sweden this autumn. The Green Party and the Left Party have similar pledges.
The right-wing parties and the Sweden Democrats, however, are opposed to extending the cut-price public transport tickets brought in by the national government.
The Social Democrats have also accused the regional government in Skåne of imposing cuts on healthcare over the past four years, leading to long queues for treatment.
The Moderate Party's leader in Skåne, Carl-Johan Sonesson, has accused the Social Democrats of exaggerated and misleading claims about cuts to healthcare.
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What are the big issues in Malmö?
In Malmö, the opposition parties are attacking the recent hikes in residential parking fees and the requirement that residents buy tickets weekly or monthly, with Sweden Democrats in particular accusing the municipality of pricing low-paid residents out of car ownership.
The Moderates are pledging to lower parking fees and even completely remove them in areas where it's not deemed necessary.
The Green Party wants to expand walking and cycling routes, build out public transport, and reintroduce trams.
The Moderates are also promising to cut municipal tax, establish an 'efficiency commission', cut the number of municipal press officers, and tighten controls on municipal building projects.
The Moderates are also calling for a new cross-border recruitment agency to help Malmö residents get jobs across the Öresund in Copenhagen and elsewhere in Denmark.
The Moderates are promising tougher action against crime, with more municipal security guards in the city centre and a joint system linking combining public and private surveillance cameras.
The Social Democrats are campaigning on a pledge to increase the ratio of teachers to pupils in schools, particularly in areas with social problems, and to reduce the size of groups in daycare.
The Left Party wants to raise the minimum wage for permanent municipal workers to at least 27,000 kronor a month and wants to freeze rents for the MKB municipal housing company in 2027.
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