A Somali-born politician elected to Sweden’s parliament on the socialist Left Party ticket has stepped away from his duties while police investigate allegations of voter fraud in a case that could unravel the left-wing bloc’s fragile grip on power.
Mohamed Abdukardir Ali, who won a seat representing the Dalarna region, has taken a leave of absence and denies any involvement in the alleged scheme. The probe centers on the municipality of Borlänge, where police are examining a pattern of activity that, if proven, could force a do-over election in a county holding 11 of the chamber’s 349 seats.
That matters because, as Breitbart News reported, the left-wing coalition led by the Social Democrats edged out Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s governing conservative bloc by a single percentage point — 49.6 percent to 48.5 percent — in this month’s general election. Under Sweden’s proportional system, those numbers translate to 176 seats for the four left-wing parties and 173 for the right, a three-seat cushion that would vanish if Dalarna’s results were overturned.
A narrow majority resting on one county
Dalarna delivered six Riksdag seats to the left and five to the right. Should a rerun flip those 11 seats, the balance in Stockholm could swing back to Kristersson’s conservative coalition — a scenario the Election Review Board acknowledged this week it is not yet prepared to assess. The board, which would have to order a new vote within three months of the original election, told reporters Tuesday that it was too early to comment.
The investigation remains in its preliminary stages, and no charges have been filed against Ali. According to Swedish public broadcaster SVT, police operations documented vehicles allegedly transporting voters illegally, ballots distributed with competing candidates’ names already crossed out and cash handed to voters alongside the ballots.
The case reportedly names Ali alongside fellow Left Party candidate Ahmed Abas Omar. Ali has firmly rejected the allegations, telling SVT: “It is completely, completely, wrong. I have not done it. I know the law. I have been trusted in every district in Dalarna. And it is not something that I can do, such a serious crime, against Swedish law.”
Citizenship granted after reversal
Details about Ali’s background have surfaced in Swedish media alongside the fraud inquiry. SVT reported that Ali was denied Swedish citizenship in late 2024 over substantial debts, only to be granted a passport after the Swedish Migration Board reversed that decision in February of this year.
TV4, another Swedish broadcaster, reported that Ali had previously shared a residence with two brothers connected to a Stockholm criminal gang. One of the brothers was recently imprisoned for attempted murder, and during the period Ali lived in the apartment, police raided it multiple times, leading to a conviction against one brother for storing illegal drugs there. A police source told TV4 that both brothers were “highly active in the gang environment” at the time Ali lived with them.
Ali has not been convicted of any offense beyond a speeding ticket, though he was previously accused of a crime, according to the reporting. The Left Party has not issued a public statement on the leave beyond confirming the absence.
Political fallout still uncertain
Sweden’s political landscape has shifted considerably in recent decades, with demographic changes credited by many analysts for the left’s narrow parliamentary advantage. The prospect of a rerun in Dalarna — a county that includes the industrial city of Borlänge — adds a layer of uncertainty to a government that was only just stitched together.
For now, the investigation continues, and Ali’s leave removes him from day-to-day parliamentary work without formally vacating the seat. If the probe moves toward charges or if the Election Review Board orders a new vote, the three-seat margin that separates Sweden’s two blocs could prove anything but stable.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/09/24/somali-far-left-candidate-takes-leave-amid-voter-fraud-investigation-that-could-flip-sweden-elections/