Sweden's right-of-centre opposition bloc regained a lead over the ruling Social Democrats and their allies in three polls issued on the eve of the country's close-fought general election.
In a Temo poll released by Dagens Nyheter a day before tomorrow's election, support for the right-leaning bloc rose half a percentage point to 49.7 per cent, while the left bloc lost 1.2 percentage points to 45.3 per cent.
Temo said the difference between the sides was within its statistical margin for error.
The right-leaning bloc has led most polls this year, but the contest between Social Democrats' promises of a generous welfare state and the right's vows of tax and benefit cuts to stimulate job growth looks likely to go down to the wire.
The daily Sifo poll for Svenska Dagbladet put the right in front by 2.7 percentage points, with 48.6 per cent to the left's 45.9 per cent.
Sifo said the lead was statistically significant, even factoring in its margin for error.
A third survey, from Ruab, pegged support for the opposition bloc of the Moderates, Centre, Christian Democrats and Folk Liberals at 48.9 per cent. The Social Democrats and their Left and Green party allies won the backing of 46.8 per cent of voters surveyed.
Two of the polls showed a rise in support for the far-right Swedish Democrats, with the Temo poll giving it 2.8 per cent and Sifo 2.5 per cent. Parties need 4 per cent of the vote to enter parliament.
The polls were conducted before a televised debate yesterday that included Prime Minister Goran Persson and rival Fredrik Reinfeldt, along with other major party leaders.
The race looks so tight that one newspaper said yesterday the victor may not be known until Wednesday, after early votes and ballots from abroad are counted.