Sweden’s image abroad may influence democracy ahead of the election

Samuel Merrill, Associate Professor at the Centre for Digital Social Research and the Department of Sociology at Umeå University, has together with a team of international researchers examined how Sweden is portrayed in digital and political environments abroad. Their studies have focused, among other things, on how far-right groups in the United States, Germany, China and India describe Swedish politics and social developments online.

For a long time, Sweden has enjoyed a strong international reputation. The country has been described as a social laboratory, a neutral state and a model for welfare and modernity. During the 1930s, Sweden was seen as a possible “middle way” between capitalism and communism, and from the 1960s onwards the image of the Swedish model spread internationally.

– For example, during the Cold War, when the Swedish model was sometimes considered a little too close to communism for the taste of the US government, says Samuel Merrill.

Sweden’s international reputation has also been built through public institutions such as the Swedish Institute. For a long time, Swedish governments have worked to strengthen Sweden’s image abroad to exert so-called soft power, meaning influence created through culture, values and international trust rather than military or economic power.

– Over roughly the past century, Sweden has often been internationally identified as a utopian and ultramodern state, says Samuel Merrill.

A changing image of Sweden

At the same time, Samuel Merrill and his team’s research shows that the image of Sweden today is far more contested than before.

– In recent years, Sweden’s international image has been affected by the handling of the 2015 refugee crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, the image of Sweden as an exceptional country and a “humanitarian superpower” has begun to weaken, says Samuel Merrill.

Several developments in recent years have affected Sweden’s image internationally. These include migration policy after 2015, the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growing influence of the Sweden Democrats and Sweden’s entry into NATO in 2024. Research suggests these developments have altered the image of Sweden as a neutral state and as a country long seen as resistant to radical right-wing populism.

Events that have influenced Sweden’s international image

• 2015: Sweden’s handling of the refugee crisis receives major international attention
• 2017: Donald Trump uses Sweden in a widely discussed speech about migration
• 2018: Disinformation campaigns target Sweden ahead of the election
• 2020: Sweden’s Covid-19 strategy sparks international debate
• 2024: Sweden joins NATO and leaves behind its role as a militarily non-aligned country

Source: Research from Umeå University and previous studies referenced in the research.

– These examples and others suggest that Sweden is beginning to fall in line with its Nordic and European neighbours, and that what was once considered unique about the country is gradually disappearing from the international view, says Samuel Merrill.

At the same time, social media and digital platforms have changed who shapes the image of Sweden internationally. Previously, the narrative about Sweden was mainly dominated by governments and established media outlets. Today, the image is also influenced by online activists, political movements, and alternative media.

Digital environments intensify conflicts

In the project The Radicalisation of Sweden’s Image, funded by the Swedish Research Council, Samuel Merrill and collaborating researchers examined how foreign far-right actors use Sweden symbolically in their own political narratives.

One study within the project shows that American far-right actors repeatedly used Sweden between 2015 and 2022 to reinforce anti-immigration messages in the United States. News events from Sweden were not primarily used because they were important in Sweden itself. Instead, they were used when they suited the American political debate at a particular moment.

Another project study shows differences between how traditional media and far-right digital environments portrayed the Swedish election in 2022. International news media described Sweden’s political shift to the right in a more restrained way, although reporting was influenced by the political leanings of different media outlets. In far-right digital environments, the tone was considerably more exaggerated. There, developments in Sweden were portrayed as part of a broader inescapable international right-wing wave.

The close connection between international and Swedish far-right portrayals of Sweden demonstrates how anti-democratic ideas can spread between countries. The research also indicates that ideas connected to different forms of discrimination risk influencing Swedish domestic politics and may have negative consequences for democracy.

The researchers also see signs that disinformation has become more subtle and normalised within the political landscape. As a result, it may also become more difficult to detect.

– During the 2018 election, international far-right actors and Russian state-backed media attempted to influence Swedish domestic politics through disinformation campaigns. These campaigns painted a picture of Sweden in severe decline and aimed to benefit anti-immigration nationalist parties, Similar campaigns are likely to reappear ahead of the election in September, even if they are now often more subtle and harder to detect, says Samuel Merrill.

Democracy is affected by sweden’s image abroad

Samuel Merrill believes that many people in Sweden still take the country’s international reputation for granted. At the same time, research shows that Sweden’s image can change rapidly in a time characterised by social media, digital disinformation and increasing political polarisation.

– Naturally, the world around Sweden is also changing, and how these changes, as well as those we may witness in September 2026, affect the image of the country also depends on the politics taking shape elsewhere, says Samuel Merrill.

He means that ultimately the progressive image of Sweden risks disappearing. It needs more support. Real actions to create a more, not less, democratic Swedish society, a more open, not closed, society, are needed.

– Such actions will hopefully not only benefit those living in Sweden, but also help revive the international perception of our country, says Samuel Merrill.

He also explains that ahead of the 2026 election, the question of who shapes the image of Sweden will become increasingly important.

– The image of Sweden, which will be in focus during the upcoming election both nationally and internationally, matters. Who gets to contribute to and shape that image, and how closely that image reflects people’s lived reality in this country, is an indicator of Sweden’s democratic health, says Samuel Merrill.

Read more about Samuel Merrill’s research and his research project