Swedish Prime Minister resigns after centre-left wins narrow majority
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson resigned on 17 September after his right-wing bloc fell short in the parliamentary election, prompting negotiations to form a new government led by the centre-left opposition, Reuters reported. The election held on 10 September saw the centre-left opposition bloc holding a narrow lead in pre-election polls, according to Reuters, while the governing alliance had pledged cabinet posts for the Sweden Democrats. Early counts showed the race virtually tied, with the right-wing bloc projected at 174 seats and the left at 175, as reported by politico.
eu. Subsequent counts confirmed the left bloc's three-seat advantage, and CBS News noted that the Sweden Democrats fell below 18%, leaving the left-wing opposition with a slim majority and setting the stage for coalition talks. These developments followed weeks of campaigning in which the Sweden Democrats, a far-right party, were positioned for possible ministerial roles, a scenario highlighted by the BBC and The Guardian during the vote.
