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Sweden's Left-Wing Bloc Wins Narrow Election, Prime Minister Resigns
Confirmed
In Short: Sweden's left-wing opposition secured a narrow majority in the recent election, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and setting the stage for complex negotiations to form a new government.
Sweden's left-wing opposition won a narrow majority in the country's general election, according to reports. The four parties in the bloc, led by Magdalena Andersson's Social Democrats, hold a three-seat majority in the 349-seat parliament over the outgoing right-wing alliance, which includes the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.
The Centre Party has indicated it will oppose a government that includes cabinet posts for the Left Party, while the Left Party has insisted on having a minister. Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022 and finance minister for seven years, is known for her hard-nosed approach and direct style, making her negotiating skills crucial in uniting the bloc.
With the opposition deeply divided, Andersson's ability to form a government will be tested. The Social Democrats, Sweden's largest party, are expected to face their worst score in over a century with 28.0 percent of the vote. The process of forming a government is expected to be laborious, with the outgoing conservative-led government taking 37 days to form a government in 2022, compared to 134 days in 2018.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, leading one of the few left-wing governments in Europe, hailed the win. On election night, Andersson declared that if the result held, Sweden would have a new government. Ulf Kristersson, the outgoing prime minister, resigned after the results were announced, allowing the parliament speaker to initiate talks with party leaders to appoint one to form a government.
In a statement, Kristersson said he would respect Andersson's attempts to form a government but wished her 'good luck' given the divisions among her left-wing bloc. Andersson, who is known for her no-nonsense style, will face the challenge of uniting the four parties to form a government and implement her agenda, which includes social justice and the green agenda.
Background
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east, and shares a maritime border with Denmark to the south.
What's confirmed
- The Centre Party has said it will oppose a government that includes cabinet posts for the Left Party, which has insisted on having a minister.
What's still developing
- Nothing material beyond the confirmed record.