Mattias Karlsson

Following the 2014 general election, political turmoil and a government crisis ensue. When the Sweden Democrats—the third-largest party—vote in favor of the Alliance’s budget proposal, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven calls for a snap election. SVT political reporter Pontus Mattsson follows ministers, opposition politicians, and ordinary party members from election night through to the announcement between Christmas and New Year’s that the snap election has been cancelled.

He has devoted 20 years to the Sweden Democrats and has been called the party's chief ideologist. Filmmaker Kalle Segerbäck follows the controversial and combative politician Mattias Karlsson for just over a year - until the 2018 election.

About the Sweden Democrats (SD) preparations before the general election September 19, 2010. They are investing ambitiously to get into the Swedish Parliament, Riksdagen. Sweden Democrats or Swedish Democrats (Swedish: Sverigedemokraterna, SD) is a national-conservative, populist political party in Sweden founded in 1988. The party describes itself as social conservative with a nationalist foundation. The party has been characterized by others as right-wing populist or far-right, national-conservative, and anti-immigration. Jimmie Åkesson has been party leader since 2005. The Sweden Democrats crossed the 4% threshold necessary for parliamentary representation for the first time in the 2010 general election, polling 5.7% and gaining 20 seats in the Riksdag/Parliament.

100 days has passed since the parliamentary election September 19, 2010. What immediate impact has the Sweden Democrats (SD) had so far? Sweden Democrats or Swedish Democrats (Swedish: Sverigedemokraterna, SD) is a national-conservative, populist political party in Sweden founded in 1988. The party describes itself as social conservative with a nationalist foundation. The party has been characterized by others as right-wing populist or far-right, national-conservative, and anti-immigration. Jimmie Åkesson has been party leader since 2005. The Sweden Democrats crossed the 4% threshold necessary for parliamentary representation for the first time in the 2010 general election, polling 5.7% and gaining 20 seats in the Riksdag/Parliament.

Jimmie Åkesson went from being a political outsider to a key figure in Swedish politics. He is currently closer to holding government power than ever before. In this mini-documentary, we follow him from his home turf in Sölvesborg, through the corridors of power in Stockholm, to a controversial visit to a conference in Israel. But how much of Jimmie Åkesson’s original driving force remains—and will he be able to handle the pressure?