Swedish Social Democrat Leader Says Government Talks Have Stalled
Magdalena Andersson announced that negotiations with the Greens, Center Party and Left Party failed, leaving Sweden without a new government after the September election.
Sweden’s centre-left Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson said on Monday that talks with potential coalition partners had broken down, meaning a new government will not be formed after the September 13 election. The four-party bloc – comprising the Social Democrats, Greens, Centre Party and Left Party – secured 176 of the 349 seats in the Riksdag, a narrow lead over the incumbent right-wing alliance’s 173 seats.
"Based on the discussions I have had, I can conclude that, as things currently stand, it is not possible for me to form a government," Andersson told reporters.
The failure is attributed to sharp disagreements between the centrist Centre Party and the socialist Left Party. With no agreement, the speaker of parliament is expected to invite another leader to attempt to form a cabinet, most likely outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of the Moderate Party, who currently heads a caretaker government. Kristersson’s bloc, which includes the Sweden Democrats, also lacks a majority and would need support from the Centre Party, whose leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist has ruled out backing a government that gives influence to either the Sweden Democrats or the Left Party.
Swedish coalition talks often take weeks; the 2022 government was formed after 37 days, and the 2018 process required 134 days.