00:00Welcome back. Sweden's center-left opposition is on course to form the next government,
00:05with preliminary results showing a three-seat lead over the ruling bloc.
00:10The result could bring a change of government after four years of politics
00:14that have shifted Sweden sharply to the right, particularly on immigration.
00:19The final result could take several days as overseas ballots are still being counted.
00:24With over 94% of the votes counted, four opposition parties led by Social Democrat Andersson
00:30were projected to win 176 seats in the 349-member parliament.
00:36Prime Minister Ulf Kristusson's right-wing bloc is projected to win 173.
00:42That would give the opposition a narrow majority
00:45and put Andersson in a position to try to form the next government.
00:49The vote could also mark a shift in Sweden's approach to immigration.
00:53After four years of tougher policies under Kristusson,
00:57his government abolished permanent residency for refugees and tightened the welfare rules.
01:02Asylum numbers also dropped to a 40-year low under the current government.
01:06A center-left government is expected to take a softer approach,
01:10but unlikely to return to the more open immigration policies of the past.
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