Åkesson has led the Sweden Democrats for over two decades, bringing them from a fringe party with neo-Nazi roots to the heart of the Swedish legislative system.
But after the party lost ground for the first time in a parliamentary election, rumours have begun to flow about Åkesson's future as leader.
Several sources speaking to TV4 are now saying that Åkesson is expected to take a break as leader if the centre-left forms a government once all the votes have been counted.
But there are no internal demands on Åkesson to resign, according to the sources.
"The most likely option is that he takes some time to himself. He has done that before on various occasions," one source told TV4.
The Sweden Democrats lost 11 seats, being overtaken by the Moderates as the largest party in the right bloc, and losing ground in 285 out of Sweden's 290 municipalities.
Åkesson went on sick leave for exhaustion after the 2014 election. Mattias Karlsson then filled in for him until he returned in the spring of 2015.
If he does take a break, two of the names rumoured to take over are Linda Lindberg, who is the party's group leader in parliament, or deputy party leader Henrik Vinge.