SVT launches new political series “Makthavarna” ahead of 2026 election

A new documentary series from SVT Nyheter, “Makthavarna” (The Power Holders), will follow Swedish politicians closely as the campaign for the 2026 election intensifies, the public broadcaster announced. The series, set to premiere on June 2, 2025, aims to show the politicians as they balance difficult policy questions with efforts to win voter trust and manage their private lives. The first two episodes focus on Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson and Social Democrat Lawen Redar, with SVT reporting on their political journeys, motivations, and the personal costs of seeking power.

The episode on Åkesson, titled “Jimmie Åkesson – Can You Handle the Pressure?”, published March 31, traces his rise from political outsider to a key figure now closer to government power than ever, including a controversial visit to a conference in Israel. The episode on Redar, published January 29, examines the Social Democrat’s efforts to break segregation and her party’s sharp shift on immigration policy, raising questions about whether it is too late to regain voter trust on an issue she acknowledges the party helped create.