The recent scandal involving a criminal motorcycle gang leader attending Jimmie Åkesson's wedding has stirred controversy in Swedish politics.

While the core supporters of the Sweden Democrats (SD) remain largely unaffected, viewing the media coverage as exaggerated, the incident has negatively impacted the party's image among political opponents.

A survey by Aftonbladet/Demoskop reveals that over 80% of Social Democrat voters and 60% of Liberal voters have lost trust in SD following the event.

Despite this, SD's internal analysis suggests a strategic shift, with Åkesson apologizing in an effort to project a more statesmanlike image.

This move aims to mitigate the fallout and support SD's ambition to join the government.

However, the scandal has halted SD's upward trend in opinion polls, as reported by DN/Ipsos, while the Social Democrats gain ground, widening the opposition's lead.