Sweden’s Andersson ends bid to form government after coalition talks fail

Magdalena Andersson, leader of Sweden’s Social Democrats, said on Monday, 28 September, that she could not form a government in the current circumstances. The centre-left parties won a narrow parliamentary majority in the 13 September election, but their negotiations failed to produce an agreement on governing together. Andersson said she would return the exploratory mandate given to her by parliament’s speaker.

The immediate rupture followed the Left Party’s decision to back Andreas Norlén, a Moderate Party politician, for another term as speaker rather than a candidate from Andersson’s side. Andersson described that vote as a new parliamentary alignment. Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar rejected the suggestion that it amounted to a coalition with the Moderates. The parties have also disagreed over whether the Left should hold cabinet posts, according to Swedish reporting.

The speaker now controls the next stage of government formation and can ask another party leader to try. Incumbent Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson remains in office for now, but his right-leaning bloc also lacks a majority on its own. Andersson’s announcement is therefore a setback for the election winners, not the selection of a new prime minister. Further negotiations or a parliamentary vote will determine who can command enough support to govern.