For the first time, a party leader debate was held in the Swedish parliament in the evening on January 15, 2026, to allow more voters to follow it. Preliminary figures indicate nearly ten times more viewers on SVT Forum compared to the last debate. During the debate, Ebba Busch (KD) softened her stance on migration policy.
On Wednesday, January 15, 2026, the first party leader debate of the year took place in the Swedish parliament, but unlike previous ones, it started in the evening. The aim was to enable more voters to participate, as many are at work during the day. The debate was broadcast live on the parliament's website, Sweden's Radio P1, and SVT Forum.
Preliminary viewing figures from SVT show a significant increase. Compared to the last party leader debate from parliament, nearly ten times as many watched the SVT Forum broadcast this time. However, the number of viewers was about one-third of the 635,000 who followed SVT's Agenda debate in October 2025. Exact figures for Wednesday's debate are not yet available.
A heated moment in the debate concerned migration policy. Ebba Busch, deputy prime minister and leader of the Christian Democrats (KD), stated that people should not be caught in the crossfire of the policy. This was seen as a retreat from a harder line on deportations, which intensified the discussion. If Busch is serious about the statement, it could signal a more humanitarian approach, but it remains to be seen how it will affect broader politics.
The debate marks the start of an intense election year in Sweden, where parties are positioning themselves for upcoming challenges.
