Voting is underway in Sweden in a closely watched election that could mark the first time the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) gain a place in government. Polls suggest a very tight race, with one showing a difference of just 0.3 percentage points between the left and right blocs. Polling stations across the country opened at 8am local time (07:00 BST), and a record 3.6 million voters participated in early voting. Early results will be available at 8pm, with the first exit polls released and a forecast from the broadcaster SVT an hour later. The first preliminary vote count is expected between 10:30 and 11pm. Regardless of the outcome, coalition talks are expected to take weeks or months. The current right-leaning government, which has been in power for four years, consists of the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals. The Sweden Democrats, the country's second-largest party, have provided support to this coalition. The opposition, a left-leaning bloc, includes Sweden's largest party, the Social Democrats, as well as the Centre party, the Green party, and the Left party. The right-wing coalition broke a long-standing political taboo in 2022 by forming a partnership with the SD, a party with neo-Nazi origins. While the SD has attempted to distance itself from its more extreme past by reducing its racist rhetoric, it has continued to argue that immigration is responsible for Sweden's crime problems. After four years in a supporting role for the Moderates-led government, during which it has shifted much of the Swedish establishment to the right, the SD has taken a more direct approach in this election. If the right-leaning coalition wins, the party has been promised a prominent role in the government, including key ministerial positions. The SD's campaign slogan, "make Sweden Sweden again," echoes Donald Trump's "make America great again." Their controversial bus advertisements, which included messages such as: "Do you miss Mogadishu? The repatriation grant will help you get home," were removed after drivers refused to work in vehicles displaying them. The party leader, Jimmie Åkesson, faced accusations of sexism after asking the leader of the Social Democrats, Magdalena Andersson, why she was so angry during a TV debate. Another SD figure, Gustav Gellerbrant, came under national scrutiny after an investigation by the publication Expo linked his Russian partner to Russian state actors and the spread of Russian propaganda. His partner, who is Russian, works as a civil servant for SD in parliament. Gellerbrant stated in response that the information was "isolated" and intended to raise suspicion about her Russian origins, and he has since taken leave. Magdalena Andersson, who voted on Sunday morning in the Stockholm suburb of Nacka, described the campaign as "a tale of two sides." "There have been a lot of lies and bickering, but at the same time there are so many sensible people out there across the country," she told SVT. "The focus is on winning and setting a new direction for Sweden." Abba's Benny Andersson showed his support for the leader of the Social Democrats by performing a reworked version of "Mamma Mia" for supporters at the party's headquarters, replacing the words "Mamma Mia" with "Magdalena." Prime Minister and leader of the Moderates, Ulf Kristersson, focused heavily in the final days of campaigning on the penalty discount applied to criminals convicted of various offenses. He accused Andersson of not standing up for female rape victims. In response, she accused him of weaponizing men's violence against women. Voters say the most important election issues are healthcare, law and order, immigration, and the economy. However, much of the election debate has focused on personal finance, said Radio Sweden's senior political correspondent, Fredrik Furtenbach. "The parties have tried to outdo each other with promises of more money. It has been a sort of auction."