Sweden's centre-left opposition maintains election lead as count nears end

STOCKHOLM, Sept 16 - Sweden's centre-left opposition parties maintained a narrow election lead on Wednesday over the incumbent right-wing governing bloc as the counting of remaining ballots resumed after Sunday's vote for parliament.

With only 1.3% of districts left to count at 1433 GMT, parties led by opposition leader Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats looked set to win 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, signalling a change of government.

The right-wing governing bloc of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, which includes the far-right Sweden Democrats, was meanwhile on track to win 173 seats, data from Sweden's election authority showed.

The agency is now counting late incoming ballots from home and overseas, and has said this process may go on until Thursday before all votes are accounted for. The seat allocation is so far identical to that reported earlier in the week.

The election, while unlikely to change the course of Sweden's pro-Western and pro-Ukraine stance, could decide whether Kristersson's push toward a hard-right clampdown on migration continues or even accelerates.

In a pre-election pledge, Kristersson broke a longstanding taboo and said he would bring into government the Sweden Democrats, a far-right party, as he aims to create a majority-right coalition.

Many voters on the right say a win would amount to an endorsement of policies that have helped to curb gang violence and cut immigration dramatically. REUTERS