Swedish left bloc leads as Andersandson poised to become prime minister
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With 99.9% of votes counted, Magdalena Andersson's four-party left coalition holds a narrow three-seat advantage over Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance, positioning her to form the next government.
Swedish election officials reported that Magdalena Andersson's left-wing bloc is three seats ahead of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance after 99.9% of ballots were tallied. The Swedish Election Authority will certify the preliminary result on Thursday, after which coalition talks are expected to begin.
Andersson's Social Democrats, the country's largest party, are projected to hold 99 seats and are likely to seek a coalition with the Greens (22 seats), the Center Party (25 seats) and the Left Party (30 seats). Together, the bloc would surpass the 175-seat majority threshold, though internal negotiations may be required, particularly regarding the Left Party's demand for ministerial posts.
The Center Party leader, Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, said her party would begin talks with the Social Democrats but cautioned that “the fringes must not dominate the next government.” She added that the right-wing bloc had “lost their government mandate,” while also noting that the election result does not provide a mandate for a “political left turn.”
Kristersson's coalition, which includes the Moderates, Christian Democrats, Liberals and the Sweden Democrats, fell short of a majority. Although the Sweden Democrats had previously made gains in other European elections, their vote share declined in this contest. A formal vote of confidence in parliament, required to confirm Andersson's government, cannot occur before September 29.