The gender gap in Swedish politics appears to be increasing with younger generations, a new joint survey by national broadcaster SVT and pollster Novus suggests.
According to the survey, the country's political landscape would have been unrecognisable, if only women or men voted.
If young women aged 18-29 had their way, Sweden would have been ruled by the liberal-left bloc.
In this group, the pro-immigration Left Party, formerly known as the Communists, rule supreme with 23.9 percent of the vote, followed by the ruling Social Democrats, the liberal and pro-EU Centre Party and Greens. Together, these parties receive a whopping 67.7 percent. Only 11.9 percent of young Swedish women support immigration-critical parties, such as the Sweden Democrats.
By contrast, the left-of-centre bloc would only get 33.5 percent among their male peers. Instead, the Sweden Democrats would become the largest party with 28.6 percent, followed by the the right-of-centre Moderates with 26.9 percent. The Sweden Democrats and the Moderates alone would have obtained a clear parliamentary majority.
“It is a somewhat mixed pattern as the sexes have approached each other in their view of equality and welfare state while they have clearly gone apart when it comes to, for example, migration and six-hour-long work day”, Södertörn University political scientist Jenny Madestam suggested.
Swedish politics are becoming increasingly polarised along gender lines, as men and women tend to prioritise different aspects. This is best encompassed in their support for the Left and the Sweden Democrats respectively, who lie on the opposite sides of the Swedish political spectrum. While the Left has environment, helping migrants and combating “racism and nationalism” as its top priorities, the Sweden Democrats remain anti-EU, anti-immigration, and pro-tradition.
“Guys ask about the EU, immigration and crime, while women ask about gender equality, environment and climate. There is a big difference”, Johanna Strömstedt of the Sweden Democrats' youth wing, the Youth Swedes, told SVT.
