Swedish left-wing bloc narrowly ahead with election too close to call

Sweden's general election remains too close to call with the left-wing bloc marginally ahead as the vote count continues.

With more than 90% of ballots processed early on Monday, the left-wing bloc was in front by approximately 20,000 votes.

Projections posted by Sweden's electoral authority showed the Social Democrats' Magdalena Andersson would likely finish with a three-seat majority over the rival four-party coalition led by current conservative Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

Kristersson has been supported in government by the hard-right Sweden Democrats (SD), which have neo-Nazi roots. He has promised cabinet jobs for the SD if he stays in charge.

Early on Monday morning, Kristersson said it remained unclear who would form the next government.

"The voters have had their say, but we still don't have a final result. Which government will lead Sweden in the coming years is still an open question," he told supporters.

Sweden uses a mandate distribution voting system, a proportional representation method to elect "mandates", or "seats", in the Riksdag – the Swedish parliament. A party needs at least 4% of the vote to enter parliament.

With 94% of votes reported, the left-wing bloc led by the Social Democrats was ahead with 176 mandates compared to the right-wing bloc's 173.