Sweden's Social Democrats Should Abandon the 'Danish Model' and Commit to a Progressive Agenda
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/cas-mudde. "Sweden’s far right is down, but not yet out. Left and centre leaders must seize this opportunity | Cas Mudde | The Guardian." September 15, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that Sweden's Social Democrats made a mistake copying Denmark's approach of adopting tough anti-immigration stances to compete with the far right, since this led to their worst election result in over a century and only enabled a fragile return to power. Instead, the party should embrace a fully progressive agenda because this would better appeal to young voters and immigrant-origin voters who are increasingly turning to more leftwing parties, and would help hold together their slim coalition majority.
Conclusion
Rather than continuing to mimic the anti-immigration 'Danish model' as a 'moderate' alternative to the right, Magdalena Andersson should fully commit to a progressive political agenda on both socioeconomic and socio-cultural issues.
Premises
- The 'Danish model' strategy, while it delivered a return to power, coincided with the Social Democrats' worst electoral result since 1908, suggesting it is a risky and costly approach.
- The new left coalition has only a three-seat majority and significant internal disagreements on crime and immigration, meaning continued hardline immigration rhetoric could fracture the coalition, as happened to Frederiksen's government in Denmark.
- In Denmark, despite Frederiksen's convincing nativist stance, the Danish Social Democrats have since hit historic lows and the far right remains only slightly less popular, just more fragmented, showing the strategy's long-term failure.
- The Social Democrats performed significantly worse among first-time voters than the electorate overall, while the more leftwing Left and Green parties did better among youth, indicating that nativist-lite positioning alienates younger voters who prefer outspokenly leftwing options.
- The Social Democrats performed best among voters with non-European roots, a growing demographic that is unlikely to be won over by more nativist policies, suggesting a progressive agenda would better serve the party's electoral coalition.
- The Sweden Democrats' nativism has already been normalized and adopted in lighter form by all major parties including the Social Democrats, so competing on that terrain does not distinguish or benefit the left.
Assumptions
- Electoral strategy and policy positioning are primary drivers of party success, rather than external structural factors.
- The Danish trajectory is a reliable predictor of what will happen to Sweden's Social Democrats if they continue similar strategies.
- Younger voters and immigrant-origin voters represent the electoral future the party should prioritize over older, potentially more nativist-leaning voters.
- A 'fully progressive' agenda is compatible with holding together a coalition that includes the more centrist Center party.
- Voters' preferences for progressive economic and social policies are strong and stable enough to reward a party that commits to them.
- Not competing on nativist terrain will not simply cede ground to the far right or the right bloc entirely.