Nearly a third of Sweden's parliamentarians are newcomers after 2026 election
The newly convened Riksdag includes 97 first-time members, with the Left Party having the highest number of fresh faces.
The Swedish Riksdag convened for its first session, counting 349 members, and 97 of them are serving for the first time. The Left Party (V) leads with 17 new legislators out of its 30-member caucus, while the Liberals (L) have eight newcomers among 19 seats and the Green Party (MP) includes eight fresh faces in its 22-member group. Among the new cohort, five members entered parliament thanks to personal votes, including Mohamed Ali of Borlänge, who will pause his duties pending a police investigation.
Several ministers from the outgoing government, such as Gunnar Strömmer and Parisa Liljestrand, are also among the newcomers but will not attend one outlet while retaining their ministerial posts. Overall, 28 % of the chamber is new compared with previous legislatures.
Why it matters
A large influx of first-time legislators could reshape Sweden's legislative agenda and party dynamics.
How this story developed
- Sep 21 Police probe alleged vote-rigging involving pre-marked ballots for Vänsterpartiet candidate in Borlänge
- Sep 22 Party spokesperson Antonio de la Cruz said the party would not comment on the investigation.
- Sep 24 Ali has paused his parliamentary duties pending the outcome of the fraud investigation.
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