Sweden's centre-left opposition holds a narrow lead over the ruling right-wing bloc ahead of Sunday's election for parliament, several opinion polls have shown this week.
But Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who has trailed in opinion polls throughout his four years in office, has been catching up in the final weeks of campaigning, with rival Magdalena Andersson and her Social Democrats losing ground.
Kristersson has pledged to bring the far-right Sweden Democrats into government if his bloc wins.
"We can unify parties, voters and issues into joint action. That's why we get things done," he told reporters this week.
Critics say his government's agenda is undermining civil liberties while forcing immigrants to conform more closely to Swedish cultural norms or leave the country, urged on by both inducements and penalties.
"We've become a harder society, a quieter society, but also a poorer society as we've had growth far below our potential and where households see their pay checks buy less and less," Andersson told Reuters, adding that uniting people had made Sweden strong.
Supporters of the right-wing bloc say its policies have helped curb gang violence and cut immigration dramatically, and that a victory would amount to a public endorsement of that approach and more in the same vein in the years ahead.
Electoral success for the Sweden Democrats is likely to be welcomed by Europe's rising far-right parties, boosted by a significant win in a German state election this month by the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany.
Polling stations in the EU member state of 10 million people, which joined NATO after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, open at 8am (4pm AEST) with exit polls due soon after they close at 1800 GMT (4am Monday).
Electoral success for the Sweden Democrats would be welcomed by Europe's rising far-right parties, boosted by a significant win in a German state election this month by the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany.
The right has already agreed to form a four-party government led by Kristersson if it wins, while Andersson's path to power is more uncertain.
The election could ultimately be decided by whether the Liberals surpass the four per cent threshold to win seats in parliament, bolstering a right wing that includes Moderates, Christian Democrats and, since being invited by Kristersson earlier this year, Sweden Democrats.
Led by veteran party leader Jimmie Akesson, the Sweden Democrats have already spent four years propping up Kristersson's minority government in parliament, building credibility with the broader right-wing bloc.
