Right-wing parties in Finland and Sweden are losing their hold on women voters, HBL’s Marianne Sundholm writes. The development is more than an internal party issue, because it may affect support levels and the broader political balance in both countries.

Sundholm says the trend could also influence how politics is debated if voting patterns among men and women continue to diverge. For parties, a widening gender gap makes it harder to build a broad and stable voter base.