Editing Sweden Democrats (section)

=== Entering mainstream politics (2018–2022) ===
[[File:Sverigedemokraterna - Ystad-2018.jpg|thumb|SD rally in [[Ystad]] in August 2018 ahead of the 2018 Swedish general election]]
In early 2018, the [[Far-right politics|far-right]]<ref>{{cite web |date=9 April 2018 |title=TV4-profilen Lennart Matikainen kandiderar för Alternativ för Sverige |url=https://nyheter24.se/noje/906234-tv4-profilen-lennart-matikainen-kandiderar-for-alternativ-for-sverige |access-date=29 January 2023 |website=nyheter24.se |language=sv}}</ref> [[Alternative for Sweden]] was founded by members of the [[Sweden Democratic Youth]], who were collectively expelled from the Sweden Democrats in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.altinget.se/rikspolitik/artikel/kasselstrand-vill-in-i-riksdagen|title=Kasselstrand vill in i riksdagen|date=18 December 2017|access-date=29 March 2018|language=sv|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225172804/https://www.altinget.se/rikspolitik/artikel/kasselstrand-vill-in-i-riksdagen|url-status=live}}</ref> Three Sweden Democrat members of the [[Riksdag]], [[Olle Felten]], [[Jeff Ahl]] and former leader [[Mikael Jansson (politician)|Mikael Jansson]] subsequently defected to the party.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/riksdagsledamot-lamnar-sd-blir-politisk-vilde/|newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]]|title=Riksdagsledamot lämnar SD – blir politisk vilde|language=sv|access-date=27 March 2018|date=27 March 2018|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109005222/https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/riksdagsledamot-lamnar-sd-blir-politisk-vilde/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 2 July 2018, the two Sweden Democrats MEPs left the [[Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy|EFDD group]] and moved to the [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group]].

In the [[2018 Swedish general election]], the SD increased its support to 17.5% of the vote,<ref>{{cite web | last1=Karnitschnig | first1=Matthew | title=Why Sweden's election was all about the rise of the far right | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-election-2018-results-migration-far-right-neurotica/ | date=10 September 2018 | publisher=[[Politico]] | access-date=11 September 2018 | archive-date=6 December 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206090246/https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-election-2018-results-migration-far-right-neurotica/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last1=Henley | first1=Jon | title=Sweden Election: Far Right Makes Gains as Main Blocs Deadlocked | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/09/swedish-election-far-right-on-course-for-sizeable-gains-in-vote | date=10 September 2018 | newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | access-date=10 September 2018 | archive-date=18 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118201124/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/09/swedish-election-far-right-on-course-for-sizeable-gains-in-vote | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last1=Pancevski | first1=Bojan | title=Sweden Moves to the Right in an Election Shaped by Immigration | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sweden-vote-leaves-no-clear-majority-polls-show-1536521388 | date=9 September 2018 | newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | access-date=10 September 2018 | archive-date=9 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031144/https://www.wsj.com/articles/sweden-vote-leaves-no-clear-majority-polls-show-1536521388 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Chamberlain | first1=Samuel | title=Sweden election sees gains for far-right, anti-immigrant party | url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/sweden-election-sees-gains-for-far-right-anti-immigrant-party | date=9 September 2018 | publisher=[[Fox News]] | access-date=10 September 2018 | archive-date=30 September 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930202018/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/09/09/sweden-election-sees-gains-for-far-right-anti-immigrant-party.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Duxbury2018">{{cite web | last1=Duxbury | first1=Charlie | title=Sweden braces for political uncertainty as far right makes gains | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/swedens-two-main-blocs-neck-and-neck-in-election-exit-poll/ | date=9 September 2018 | publisher=[[Politico]] | access-date=10 September 2018 | archive-date=26 October 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026213417/https://www.politico.eu/article/swedens-two-main-blocs-neck-and-neck-in-election-exit-poll/ | url-status=live }}</ref> though it did not grow as much as most polls had predicted.<ref>{{cite news | last1=Crisp | first1=James | title=Analysis: Brussels Dodges Populist Bullet as Sweden Democrats Fall Short | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/09/10/analysis-brussels-dodges-populist-bullet-sweden-democrats-fall/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/09/10/analysis-brussels-dodges-populist-bullet-sweden-democrats-fall/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | date=10 September 2018 | newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | access-date=10 September 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=The anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats fail to achieve an electoral breakthrough | url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2018/09/10/the-anti-immigrant-sweden-democrats-fail-to-achieve-an-electoral-breakthrough | date=10 September 2018 | newspaper=[[The Economist]] | access-date=11 September 2018 | archive-date=24 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124015138/https://www.economist.com/europe/2018/09/10/the-anti-immigrant-sweden-democrats-fail-to-achieve-an-electoral-breakthrough | url-status=live }}</ref> According to Emily Schultheis of ''[[Foreign Policy]]'', the SD won an ideological victory, as it "effectively set the terms for debate" and forced its rivals to adopt immigration policies similar to its own,<ref>{{cite magazine | last1=Schultheis | first1=Emily | title=Sweden's Far Right Has Won the War of Ideas | url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/09/10/swedens-nazi-offspring-won-the-war-of-ideas/ | date=10 September 2018 | magazine=[[Foreign Policy]] | access-date=11 September 2018 | archive-date=25 December 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225172744/https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/09/10/swedens-nazi-offspring-won-the-war-of-ideas/ | url-status=live }}</ref> and other reporters made similar observations.<ref>{{cite news | title=Europe's populists are waltzing into the mainstream | url=https://www.economist.com/briefing/2018/02/03/europes-populists-are-waltzing-into-the-mainstream | date=3 February 2018 | newspaper=[[The Economist]] | access-date=12 September 2018 | archive-date=9 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109032535/https://www.economist.com/briefing/2018/02/03/europes-populists-are-waltzing-into-the-mainstream | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last1=Teitelbaum | first1=Benjamin R. | title=In Sweden, Populist Nationalists Won on Policy, but Lost on Politics | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/in-sweden-populist-nationalists-won-on-policy-but-lost-on-politics/569968/ | date=12 September 2018 | magazine=[[The Atlantic]] | access-date=12 September 2018 | archive-date=24 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124100233/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/in-sweden-populist-nationalists-won-on-policy-but-lost-on-politics/569968/ | url-status=live }}</ref> The SD performed particularly well in [[Skåne County]], having the highest number of voters in 21 out of the county's 33 municipalities.<ref>{{cite news | last1=Orange | first1=Richard | title=Sweden Democrats biggest in two-thirds of Skåne districts | url=https://www.thelocal.se/20180911/sweden-democrats-biggest-in-two-thirds-of-skne-districts | date=11 September 2018 | website=[[The Local]] | access-date=11 September 2018 | archive-date=10 September 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910155145/https://www.thelocal.se/20180911/sweden-democrats-biggest-in-two-thirds-of-skne-districts | url-status=live }}</ref> An SVT analysis of the results found that at least 22 seats in 17 city councils would be empty as the Sweden Democrats won more seats than the number of candidates it had.<ref>{{cite web | title=Sweden Democrats Won More Local Seats than Able to Fill | url=https://euobserver.com/tickers/142915 | date=21 September 2018 | publisher=[[EUobserver]] | access-date=22 September 2018 | archive-date=13 April 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413182755/https://euobserver.com/tickers/142915 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last1=Öbrink | first1=Andreas | title=Efter SD:s framgång – tomma stolar i fullmäktige runt om i landet | newspaper=SVT Nyheter | url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/efter-sd-s-framgang-tomma-stolar-i-fullmaktige-runtom-i-landet | date=20 September 2018 | publisher=[[Sveriges Television]] | access-date=23 September 2018 | language=sv | archive-date=6 August 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806081559/https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/efter-sd-s-framgang-tomma-stolar-i-fullmaktige-runtom-i-landet | url-status=live }}</ref> The party also received its first mayor, in [[Hörby Municipality]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Sweden Democrats take power in municipal council | url=https://www.thelocal.se/20181004/sweden-democrats-take-power-in-municipal-council | date=4 October 2018 | website=[[The Local]] | access-date=6 October 2018 | archive-date=9 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109043048/https://www.thelocal.se/20181004/sweden-democrats-take-power-in-municipal-council | url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the election, [[Christian Democrats (Sweden)|Christian Democratic]] leader [[Ebba Busch]] announced that her party was willing to enter negotiations with the Sweden Democrats in the Riksdag.<ref name="Hamidi-Nia"/> In December 2019, [[Moderate Party]] leader [[Ulf Kristersson]] held an official meeting with the Sweden Democrat leadership for the first time, despite having previously ruled out negotiating with the party. This led to speculation that the SD could be included in a new centre-right grouping to replace the [[Alliance (Sweden)|Alliance]] which had collapsed after the [[Centre Party (Sweden)|Centre Party]] and the [[Liberals (Sweden)|Liberal Party]] left to support the Social Democratic led government.<ref name="auto5">{{cite web | title=Mainstream Swedish party open to working with once-spurned nationalists | url=https://www.ft.com/content/1e692a28-1764-11ea-9ee4-11f260415385 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/1e692a28-1764-11ea-9ee4-11f260415385 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | date= 5 December 2019 | publisher=FT.com | access-date= 17 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{cite news | title=Is Sweden seeing a new political bloc after Moderates and Sweden Democrats meet? | newspaper=Sveriges Radio | url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=7361092 | date=5 December 2019 | publisher=sverigesradio.se | access-date=17 March 2020 | last1=Foster | first1=Keith | archive-date=18 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018055805/https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/7361092 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2018, the Sweden Democrats went into a governing coalitions with the [[Moderate Party]] and the Christian Democrats for the first time in [[Staffanstorp Municipality]], [[Sölvesborg Municipality]], [[Herrljunga Municipality]] and [[Bromölla Municipality]].<ref name="auto9">{{cite web|url=https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/57337/swedish-moderate-led-council-to-ban-halal-meat-in|title=Swedish Moderate-led council to ban halal meat in deal with populists|first=Richard|last=Orange|website=Islamist Watch|date=15 November 2018|access-date=26 February 2021|archive-date=22 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722071425/https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/57337/swedish-moderate-led-council-to-ban-halal-meat-in|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.thelocal.se/20181022/centre-right-seized-back-control-in-skne| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181022201447/https://www.thelocal.se/20181022/centre-right-seized-back-control-in-skne| archive-date = 22 October 2018| title = Centre-right Alliance takes power in Skåne – The Local}}</ref> In Bromölla, coalition felt apart in 2020, while new coalitions with the SD emerged in [[Svalöv Municipality]] (2019), [[Bjuv Municipality]] (2020) and [[Surahammar Municipality]] (2021).

In 2020, [[Mattias Karlsson (politician)|Mattias Karlsson]], the former group leader of the Sweden Democrats in the Riksdag founded [[Oikos (Swedish think-tank)|Oikos]], a conservative think-tank which has been alleged to be an "extension of the Sweden Democrats' political project", supposedly also receiving funding from the party.<ref name="Poohl">{{cite web|last=Poohl|first=Daniel|title=SD:s nya tankesmedja är inte oberoende|url=https://expo.se/2020/02/sds-nya-tankesmedja-%C3%A4r-inte-oberoende|access-date=5 November 2021|website=Expo.se|language=sv|archive-date=5 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105064819/https://expo.se/2020/02/sds-nya-tankesmedja-%C3%A4r-inte-oberoende|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2021, the SD was invited to participate in alternative budget agreement talks with the Christian Democrats and the Moderates for the first time. That same year the SD also issued a [[Motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]] against the [[Löfven II cabinet]] citing the government's handling on immigration, the economy and housing which was carried by the other opposition parties and led to Löfven's impeachment. The SD had previously issued a vote of no confidence in the government in 2015, albeit without success.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/klart-efter-misstroendeomrostningen-regeringen-faller |title=The government is brought down after a vote of no confidence |newspaper=Sveriges Radio |date=21 June 2021 |access-date=30 January 2024 |last1=Runblom |first1=Karin |last2=Olsson |first2=Lova }}</ref>