Sweden Left Without Government
Opposition leader Magdalena Andersson says she cannot form a government after her centre-left bloc won a narrow majority in the election, with outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson likely to be given the task next
Swedish opposition leader Magdalena Andersson announced that she cannot form a government in the current situation after her centre-left bloc won a narrow majority in the election. The centre-left bloc secured 176 seats, compared to 173 seats for the incumbent right bloc.
The decision came after the Left Party said it would back a candidate for parliament speaker from the rival Moderate party, which Andersson said undercut her attempt to build a government. Andersson stated that she would tell the speaker of parliament that she was unable to form a government in the current situation.
The election, held on September 13, saw the centre-left bloc win by a narrow margin, with a popular vote difference of around 50,000. The outcome was widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's promise to form a coalition with the far-right Sweden Democrats.
The speaker of parliament will now decide who to hand the task to next, with outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of the center-right Moderate Party being the likely next choice. Kristersson continues to lead a caretaker government, and his bloc would probably need support from the Center Party to secure a majority.
Center Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist has ruled out supporting a government that gives influence to either the Sweden Democrats or the Left Party. This stance has significant implications for the formation of a new government, as it limits the options for both the centre-left and centre-right blocs.
## What happens next The breakdown leaves Sweden without a new government more than two weeks after the election. The country has experienced protracted government formation in the past, with it taking 37 days to establish a government following the 2022 election and 134 days after the vote in 2018. The speaker of parliament is now expected to ask another party leader to try to form a government, potentially paving the way for Kristersson to remain in power despite losing the vote.
The inability to form a government has significant implications for Sweden, as it leaves the country without a stable administration to address key issues. The centre-left bloc's narrow victory had raised hopes for a change in government, but the current situation has thrown the country's political landscape into uncertainty. As the speaker of parliament considers the next steps, Sweden remains in a state of political limbo, awaiting the formation of a new government.
