An alliance of left-wing forces has won a fierce contest in Sweden’s parliamentary elections, and Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson will form the government, reports Politico.
Incumbent Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has stepped down following the election defeat, paving the way for the formation of a new center-left government. Andersson is now expected to begin formal negotiations with other parties in her bloc; if she succeeds in reaching an agreement, she will assume the role of Prime Minister in the coming weeks. In a social media address, Andersson stated that the Swedish people had voted for a new direction for the country. She noted that the election demonstrated a public desire for unity rather than division and pledged to achieve this as Prime Minister.
Andersson said she would prioritize a fair migration system that prevents unjust deportations, a climate policy focused on the transition to green technologies, improved healthcare and care for the elderly, and economic renewal to foster growth and reduce unemployment.
The election presented a choice between Andersson’s four-party alliance of center-left and socialist parties and Kristersson’s four-party right-wing group. The right-wing alliance also included the far-right, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.
During the election campaign, Andersson—who had already served as prime minister prior to the 2022 election—warned voters against handing power to the Sweden Democrats. Kristersson had promised that the far-right party could secure ministerial posts in his future government. The results were not favorable for the Sweden Democrats;
the party had hoped to gain power for the first time but instead lost votes, seats, and influence.
Final results from the Swedish Election Authority show that Andersson’s bloc secured 176 seats, while Kristersson’s won 173. However, Andersson still requires support from three other left-wing parties to secure a majority. This could prove quite complicated, as two of her potential allies do not get along. The Left Party seeks ministerial posts in exchange for its support—a condition the liberal Centre Party is unwilling to accept. Andersson stated that a new era of cooperation among the parties would need to be established.
In his statement, Kristersson, the leader of the center-right forces, called for coalition talks involving all parties, noting that current “red lines” make forming a coalition difficult. Although he did not explicitly mention Andersson’s name or the rift between the Greens and the Left, that was most likely what he had in mind. Kristersson wrote that securing support now requires constructive and open cooperation among parliamentary parties. Talks must be held with all parties to break the deadlock and create the conditions for forming a stable and effective government.
One possibility sometimes cited by Swedish political commentators is for center-left and center-right parties—namely Andersson’s Social Democrats and Kristersson’s Moderates—to join forces and form a majority coalition that does not rely on support from parties at the fringes of the political spectrum. However, even if the two parties could reach an agreement (which is not considered a realistic prospect), they would still need the support of a third party to secure a majority.
Negotiations could drag on for weeks. The earliest date the new prime minister could be sworn in is the 29th of September.
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