Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson submitted his resignation to the speaker of parliament on Thursday after the final count from Sunday’s parliamentary election confirmed that the centre-left opposition had won a narrow majority.
The Social Democrats-led opposition bloc secured 176 seats, while Kristersson’s centre-right bloc won 173 seats, according to the election authority.
Magdalena Andersson, who became Sweden’s first woman prime minister in 2021, said the result would usher in a new direction for the country after four years under a government that pursued tougher policies on immigration and crime.
“In recent times there are those who have not felt welcome in our country,” Andersson said in a speech. “To you, I want to say this: This is a new era now. That is what the Swedish people have voted for.”
Government Formation
The formation of a new government could take time because Andersson’s potential coalition partners have differing positions.
The Centre Party has said it will not join a coalition that includes the Left Party, while the Green Party is also a potential partner in a left-of-centre government.
Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported that the Social Democrats had invited other opposition parties for talks, although no details were provided.
If Andersson fails to form a government, Kristersson’s bloc could seek support from the Centre Party, although analysts cited by Reuters said such a move was unlikely.
Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch, who leads the Christian Democrats, said it remained to be seen what would happen next.
Under Sweden’s parliamentary system, a new election would be required if parliament rejects four candidates for prime minister.
The election had pitted Andersson’s loose centre-left alliance against Kristersson’s centre-right bloc.
Kristersson had planned to bring the Sweden Democrats into government if his bloc secured enough support. However, the party recorded a decline in its share of the vote for the first time since entering parliament in 2010, contributing to the opposition bloc’s victory.
