Sweden's left-wing opposition eyes "a new direction for Sweden, with more jobs, less inequalities and a Green shift."

• Swedish government vows more tax cuts
• Record support for Sweden's Prime Minister

Sweden's left-wing opposition promised on Tuesday tax cuts for pensioners and more investment in day-care and schools as it presented its electoral platform ahead of an upcoming election.

The so-called "red-green" opposition coalition, made up of the Social Democrat, Green, and formerly communist Left parties, is in a tight race with the centre-right ruling bloc in the run-up to the September 19 election.

The opposition said it wanted "to see a new direction for Sweden, with more jobs, less inequalities and a Green shift."

"A red-green government will take responsibility. For the economy, for jobs, for schools, for health care."

The coalition said it would lower the maximum amount parents are charged for day-care services, a measure opposition leader Mona Sahlin said was "infinitely better than to lower income tax for those with high incomes."

The red-greens also said they would fight unemployment among young people by providing incentives to hire youths and funding new places in apprenticeships and higher education.

The opposition said it would spend 12.8 billion kronor next year alone, and a total of 32.7 billion throughout the mandate -- exactly the same amount the centre-right ruling coalition said it would spend last week.

Media pointed out it meant the opposition accepted the government's assessment of public finances, just as polls indicate the robust economy and healthy finances are proving to be a strong point for the government.

"We have always taken responsibility for public finances," Mona Sahlin, a Social Democrat, told reporters.

"The difference (with the government) is how we prioritise. Our government platform is based on equality," she said.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said a red-green electoral victory would result in a "tax shock" for workers.

"It's a choice about jobs. The battle is now about those who work in Sweden, those who carry society," he told reporters.

The opposition coalition's platform was unveiled Tuesday as the Social Democrats, which are the coalition's main party and have which dominated Swedish political life for most of the 20th century, faced an all-time low in a poll published in daily Aftonbladet.

The poll showed the Social Democrats garnered 27.3 percent of voter support.

"It is clear that the Social Democrats have very big problems and continue to lose voters," pollster Carl Mellin told Aftonbladet.