Ex-gymnast opposition leader must be nimble to win in Sweden

The challenger to become Sweden's next prime minister, conservative Moderates leader Ulf Kristersson, is an eternal optimist chasing voters seduced by the far-right who claim soaring immigration is straining the country's famed welfare model. With a long career spanning local and national politics, the 54-year-old former gymnast will need nimble acrobatics to wrest power from Prime Minister Stefan Lofven's Social Democratic-led government and simultaneously fend off the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats (SD). Kristersson's campaign ahead of Sunday's election has focused on limiting Sweden's generous benefits to encourage people, in particular immigrants, to enter the labour market.

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