[4] His father, Stefan, is a businessman who ran a floor laying business and his mother, Britt Marie, was a care provider in a nursing home.

During his chairmanship of the youth league and as party leader, Åkesson has been described and has presented himself as part of a driving force to moderate the SD's policies and image.

[19] In 2009, Sveriges Radio reported that Åkesson along with other prominent SD members sang a scornful song about the assassination of Olof Palme.

[2][23] In September 2014, Sveriges Radio (SR) reported that Åkesson had spent upwards of 500,000 kronor ($70,000) in 2014 alone on online betting.

The sum is more than the politician would have earned all year, after tax, reported SR.[24] The revelation caused an uproar, both among people who view Åkesson as unreliable and those who opposed SR's decision to publish the information.

[27][28] In early 2015, Åkesson was named Sweden's most important opinion leader for the calendar year 2014 by the Swedish magazine DSM in their annual rankings.

[29][30] On 27 March 2015, Åkesson publicly announced that he would return to his duties as party leader for the SD, albeit initially in a somewhat reduced role, on the SVT program Skavlan, as well as in an open letter on his Facebook page.

The SD saw a greater rise in support during the 2022 Swedish general election under Åkesson's leadership with the party overtaking the Moderates to become the second largest in the Riksdag.

[38] Åkesson was engaged to Louise Erixon, a former parliamentary aide to Björn Söder and the daughter of former Sweden Democrats MP Margareta Gunsdotter.

[43][44] Outside of politics, Åkesson is also a musician and plays keyboard for the rock group Bedårande Barn alongside Peter London.