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The EU election is a thriller for pressured party leaders

by AI | 06.May 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The EU election becomes a thriller for three Swedish minor parties. A lost mandate can cause turbulence at their very top.

Party leaders Ebba Busch (KD), Muharrem Demirok (C), and Johan Pehrson (L). Photo: TT

In Sweden, the Center Party, the Liberals, and the Christian Democrats have for several months been around or below the four percent threshold in opinion polls.

Therefore, they might have the most to lose when Europe goes to the polls. Losing a seat could cause turbulence at their very top.

Fifteen years ago, the Liberals won three seats in the European Parliament election. Now they are down to one. The party got 4.13 percent last time – just 0.13 percentage points from being ousted.

The Christian Democrats have historically held one seat, but in the last EU election in 2019, they managed to win two. The last few months have been turbulent in the party.

For all three parties, a poor result could spark an internal debate about leadership.

The situation is perhaps worst for the Center Party. C has also had one seat in the parliament until the 2019 election when they won two. But the “new” leader Muharrem Demirok, after more than a year as party leader, still faces problems in confidence polls and in gaining visibility.

“It is clear that the Center Party, Sweden’s richest party, is facing an uphill battle in public opinion. If they were to lose their representation, it would naturally add to the confidence problem the party leader has. It could trigger an internal debate about the leadership,” says political scientist Tommy Möller.

(May 5)