The Shifting Image of Sweden Abroad: Framings of the 2022 Swedish Election in Traditional and Far-Right Online Media from the United States, Germany, India, and China

Abstract

The 2022 Swedish election saw a radical-right populist party—the Sweden Democrats—gain direct government influence in the country for the first time. This contrasted with the international image of Sweden as a progressive county yet resonated with the country’s growing ideological use by foreign far-right actors. This article analyzes the framing of Sweden’s image in traditional and far-right online media from the United States, Germany, India, and China during this election. It explores to what extent and when Sweden gained online media attention and how the election was framed across these countries and media types.