Valfusk i Sverige?

Abstract

Electoral Fraud in Sweden? Public perception of irregularities during Swedish elections A fundamental precondition for the legitimacy of democracy is a high level of trust in the electoral process. It is therefore concerning that the number of appeals regarding electoral fraud has increased, that allegations of frauds circulate on social media, and that research indicates that a significant portion of the Swedish population does not fully trust that elections are conducted in a correct manner. At the same time, there is a lack of studies examining the nature of electoral distrust and the prevalence of conspiratorial beliefs regarding Swedish elections. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate (a) the extent of belief in irregularities related to vote counting and ballot placement, (b) whether the proportion of those believing in such irregularities changes during an election campaign, and (c) the factors driving belief in conspiratorial claims of electoral fraud. The results of a panel study conducted during the 2022 election campaign indicate that the majority does not believe in conspiratorial claims of electoral fraud. However, there is a minority—characterized by a high degree of conspiracy thinking—who believes irregularities are common during Swedish elections. Furthermore, the results suggest that other explanatory factors for belief in electoral fraud include the use of right-wing alternative media and sympathy towards the Sweden Democrats.