Trust in Social Democrats remains stable despite lottery controversy in Sweden

A recent report revealing that the Social Democrats’ lottery operations are targeting elderly and confused individuals, with salespeople encouraged to use aggressive sales tactics, gained significant attention following its release earlier this autumn. Despite extensive media coverage, a recent survey by SVT/Verian shows no negative impact on the party’s trust levels. According to the findings, trust in the Social Democrats remains nearly unchanged since March 2024, when the last survey was conducted.

Per Söderpalm, head of opinion at Verian, noted that the trust in the Social Democrats is still high, and the criticism surrounding the lottery scheme seems to have had limited effect. Political commentator Mats Knutson mentioned that it is not surprising that the party’s trust has not diminished in this measurement, as political scandals usually require gross misconduct for a strong impact on public opinion. He also cautioned that it may be premature to draw definitive conclusions about the long-term effects of the lottery controversy on the Social Democrats.

On a more positive note for the Moderates, trust has clearly risen since the last survey, with 39% of voters expressing considerable confidence in the party, a significant increase from 29% in March. Economic sentiment among voters appears to be improving, which could favor the Moderates.

Additionally, the Green Party is also showing progress in this measurement, particularly because of the positive impact from Amanda Lind’s leadership, combined with the increasing importance of climate issues to voters. Over 1,000 individuals participated in the survey between September 23 and 25, 2024, assessing their trust in various political parties’ handling of their responsibilities.