Sweden opposition holds slender lead in tight election, projection shows a

Swedish opposition parties narrowly hold the lead in the country's tight parliamentary election, according to projections from public broadcaster SVT. With over half of the districts counted, the center-left Social Democrats, led by Magdalena Andersson, are projected to secure 175 seats in the Riksdag, while the right-wing bloc headed by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has 174 seats.

The outcome will determine whether Sweden, a pro-Western and pro-Ukraine nation, will maintain its liberal traditions or adopt a hard-right approach towards migration. Many voters on the right view a victory for Kristersson's government as an endorsement of policies that have curbed gang violence and reduced immigration, while others remain wary of his decision to invite the far-right Sweden Democrats into the coalition.

The election's final results may not be known for several days, pending the counting of overseas ballots.