Sweden’s centre-right prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, has stood down, clearing the way for Magdalena Andersson, the Social Democrats’ leader, to attempt to form a government.
In a victory speech on Thursday, Andersson said the Swedish people had “voted for a new direction for our country, voted for unity and against division.”
She added: “The Swedish people have voted to take Sweden forward and I will realise the new direction that you have voted for.” Among the priorities she named were the climate crisis, schools, healthcare, elderly care, and immigration policy.
The Results
Andersson spoke as the preliminary count for Sunday’s election was finally completed, with 176 seats for the left-leaning opposition parties — a narrow three-seat majority over the right-leaning ruling Tidö coalition supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats. There were 50,359 votes between the two blocs.
Earlier on Thursday, Andersson sent an invitation to the other left-leaning parties — Left, Centre, and Green — for initial coalition talks. Soon after, Kristersson, the Moderates leader, announced his resignation after four years as prime minister.
The Far-Right’s Loss
Before the election, some had feared that the vote would mark a turning point for the far right after Kristersson promised key ministerial posts for the Sweden Democrats if his coalition took power. Instead, the SD lost support for the first time in a general election since its foundation, falling from Sweden’s second biggest party to third.
In his resignation letter, Kristersson wrote: “Now it is the speaker who will lead the next steps towards forming a new government. In order for that work to begin immediately, I hereby request to be relieved of my duties as prime minister.”
The Coalition Challenge
The result will be a considerable relief among Social Democrats, who remain Sweden’s biggest party but received record-low support. However, the result marks only the beginning for Andersson of what is expected to be weeks of complicated coalition talks.
One of the trickiest negotiations is expected to be between the Centre and Left parties. The Centre party has ruled out being in government with the Left, while the Left has demanded a place in government in return for its cooperation. Other difficult areas include the Left’s support for a billionaire tax, the Green Party’s opposition to nuclear energy, and differences of opinion on taxation.
Nooshi Dadgostar, the leader of the Left Party, said: “The Swedish people have voted away Tidö and given us a clear mandate for change. This is one of the proudest days of my life.”
What’s Next
Andersson, who was prime minister between November 2021 and October 2022, is understood to be reaching out to all the opposition parties, with the exception of the SD. The Liberals and the Christian Democrats have ruled out working with the left.
Minority-run governments are common within Swedish politics, and it is commonplace for governments to form agreements outside of coalitions. The Social Democrats are understood to be planning to prioritise making changes to immigration, integration, and climate policies of the last government.
The Bottom Line
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has resigned after the centre-left bloc won a slim three-seat majority in Sunday’s election. Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson will now attempt to form a government, with weeks of complicated coalition talks expected. The far-right Sweden Democrats lost support for the first time in a general election. Key negotiations will involve the Centre and Left parties, taxation, and nuclear energy.
