Sweden's next government uncertain with thin lead for left-wing opposition after tight election

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden's next government remained uncertain on Monday as the national election inched toward a final result, with a thin lead for the left-wing opposition and an underwhelming performance by a hard-right anti-immigration party.

Preliminary results showed a narrow advantage for the opposition and former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson’s bid to return to office at the head of a left-wing coalition, although her own center-left Social Democrats lost support.

But even if the left does win a majority of seats, Andersson faces a complicated task to translate that into a government, and conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he would explore “possibilities” given the close result.

Sweden, which has about 10.6 million inhabitants, is a member of the European Union and the newest member of NATO.

With more than 94% of districts counted, the Swedish Election Authority reported that the four opposition parties were heading for 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament in Stockholm, the Riksdag, with 173 seats going to the four parties that make up or support the outgoing government.

The outcome may not be decided until Wednesday, when local election boards count early votes that did not make it to the polling stations by Election Day. That includes, among other things, overseas votes.

Andersson told supporters that “we must wait for the final election result” but added that “right now we are leading.”

Kristersson has led Sweden since 2022 with a three-party center-right coalition. It relied on outside support from the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party that has far-right roots but has moved toward the political mainstream, for a parliamentary majority. The Sweden Democrats had been promised Cabinet posts this time if the governing coalition were returned to office.

“When we have the final result it’s a good idea to look at possible combinations,” he said early Monday, adding that “there is a very clear non-socialist majority, or non-left leaning economic majority in the Swedish parliament. And I will actually take note of that and at least figure out whether there are any possibilities.”

He said that the outcome “could lead to a complicated process of forming a government. It may take time, but we’re in no rush.”

Andersson's Social Democrats emerged as the biggest single party with a bit over 28% of the vote but lost support compared with the last election in 2022. And there are tensions between two parties in the opposition bloc: the Center Party has said it doesn't want to go into government with the Left Party. Any combinations across the traditional right-left division would also be complicated.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Sweden Democrats' support slipped to just under 18%, down about 3 percentage points from its 2022 result, and they fell behind Kristersson's Moderates to land in third place.

With broad political consensus in Sweden on several major issues such as support for Ukraine and the country’s decision to join NATO, much election discussion focused on the possibility of the anti-immigration hard right entering government. The Sweden Democrats’ role was in focus against a background of gains for the populist right in Europe.

The Sweden Democrats were founded in the 1980s by people who had been active in right-wing extremist groups, including neo-Nazis. They toned down their rhetoric and expelled openly racist members under Jimmie Åkesson, who has led them since 2005 and overseen their growth from what was once a marginal party.

David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany contributed to this report.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson leaves the official residence, Sager House, in Stockholm, a day after the vote in a general election, Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. (Claudio Bresciani/TT News Agency via AP)

A ballot envelope is placed in a ballot box at a polling station at the City Hall in Malmo, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Leader of the Sweden Democrats party Jimmie Åkesson speaks during the Sweden Democrats election night watch party, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Stockholm. (Pontus Lundahl/TT News Agency via AP)

Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson speaks during the Social Democrats' election night watch party, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Stockholm. (Jonas Ekströmer/TT News Agency via AP)

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson arrives at the Moderate Party election watch night in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson arrives at the party's election watch night in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP)

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote opened his refinery to public ownership Monday with plans to raise $1.6 billion from retail investors across the continent in Africa’s biggest initial public offering, or IPO.

Dangote, Africa's richest man, dubbed the IPO one "for the people” and said he wants everyone to be able to own a share. Retail investors can buy shares in the sprawling Lagos-based refinery for 5,250 naira ($4) per share with a minimum purchase of 10 shares. Dangote retains 87% ownership of the refinery, Africa's largest.

The refinery's scale and potential returns, especially at a time when global oil prices have risen following the U.S.-Iran war, have generated excitement among retail investors.

“I will be a fool not to partake in it and see how it goes. I am placing a lot of emphasis on his name and on the refinery being the biggest in Africa,” Titi Adetoye, an Abuja-based operations manager who hopes to buy up to 1,000 shares, told The Associated Press.

Production began at the $19 billion refinery in 2024 as Nigeria, one of Africa's top oil producers, continues to struggle with local refining capacity.

Bamboo, a Nigerian digital investment platform, reported user difficulty in accessing its platform due to “higher than expected traffic trying to get into the Dangote IPO."

The Dangote refinery has transformed the energy-rich country of more than 210 million people from an importer of refined oil into an exporter.

“It is going to be a game-changing IPO for Nigeria’s markets,” said Mohammed Saidu, head of research and investment analysis at Lagos-based TrustBanc. Saidu said he predicted there would be millions of new investors from the IPO.

The IPO has raised questions about Dangote retaining significant ownership and the refinery's purported valuation after the offering. At $49 billion, the valuation is more than twice what it cost to build it. The refinery's officials have denied that its valuation is inflated.

“It is not something someone can classify as people-driven if you still own 87% of the refinery and there are many ways that narrative breaks down,” Joachim McEbong, a senior West Africa analyst at Control Risks, said.

Nigeria has relied for many decades on foreign refining of its oil due to decrepit state-run refineries, many of which operate below capacity or have remained stagnant for years due to poor maintenance.

The Dangote refinery reached its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day earlier this year. Dangote announced plans last year to increase capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day, a move its officials say will make it the world's largest refinery by surpassing India’s Jamnagar refinery.

Dangote has also set out to expand into East Africa, and has proposed building a refinery in Kenya by 2030.

FILE - Nigerian multinational industrial conglomerate Dangote Group's CEO Aliko Dangote during the seventh "Choose France Summit", aiming to attract foreign investors to the country, at the Chateau de Versailles, outside Paris, Monday, May 13, 2024. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File)