The following is a rundown of the main parties and their policies:

* SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

Sweden's party of power par excellence, the left-of-centre architect of the Swedish model of universal cradle-to-grave welfare funded by one of the highest tax rates in the world.

They ruled the country from 1932 to 1976, in coalition in the early years and then alone. After losing in 1976, they returned to power 1982 to 1991 and again from 1994 to the present, 10 years of that under Prime Minister Goran Persson.

Persson, 57, has sorted out state finances and engineered an economic recovery after the technology stocks crash in 2001 that has seen Sweden outstrip the euro zone in growth.

He is a strong supporter of the welfare state, saying it gives people security even when the economy is undergoing change. One of his core election promises is a further 25 billion Swedish crowns in welfare spending. Persson has expressed confidence that strong economic growth will reduce unemployment to 3.5 percent next year from 6 percent now.

Persson has opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq and promoted foreign aid, with a history of strong links to the Palestinians.

* THE GREEN PARTY

The main environmental party, it supports the Social Democrats in parliament but has no government seat. One of its main demands for supporting the Social Democrats in the next parliament is a cabinet place. It has been able to push a policy of raising taxes on environmentally unfriendly fuels and transport and lowering taxes elsewhere.

* THE LEFT PARTY

The former Communist Party, it is also a supporter of the Social Democrats in parliament. The Left Party has said it wants a place in government if the Green Party gets one. One of its main election promises is the creation of 200,000 new public sector jobs.

* THE MODERATE PARTY

The main opposition party, it last led a government under Carl Bildt between 1991 and 1994. It suffered a big defeat in the last election in 2002, seeing its share of the vote fall to just 15 percent from 23 percent.

Current leader Fredrik Reinfeldt, 41, Persson's main rival for prime minister, has shifted the party to the centre to exorcise the "right-wing spectre" that the Social Democrats have used to scare voters away.

However, Reinfeldt's campaign still centres around promised tax cuts of 37 billion crowns, funded by some unemployment benefit reductions.

He says this will encourage people into the labour market and make it more profitable for Swedes to work than receive state handouts. He disputes official jobless data, saying that 20 percent of the workforce are actually unemployed.

* FOLK PARTY LIBERALS

Second-largest opposition party and part of the opposition alliance. Current leader Lars Leijonborg has been in the shadow of Reinfeldt in the current campaign, though the party has tried to raise its profile by focussing on the immigration issue, calling for more language instruction to make it easier for immigrants to find work.

* THE CENTRE PARTY

The former farmers' party. Current leader Maud Olofsson has dropped party calls for the abandonment of nuclear power as she seeks to maintain the opposition's united front against the Social Democrats. Also profiles itself as a work-friendly party concerned about the environment.

* THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS

The weakest link in the opposition bloc, with some opinion polls showing it dangerously close to the 4 percent barrier to parliamentary entry. It tends to be the right of its opposition bloc partners, espousing conservative family values.