STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s political deadlock deepened on Tuesday after Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson admitted that her second attempt to form a government had failed, nearly a month after the country’s parliamentary election.
Speaking at a news conference, Andersson said negotiations with the three other parties in the centre-left bloc had reached an impasse. Although progress had been made, she said the conditions were not in place to form a government that could be tolerated by parliament, according to Al Jazeera News.
Shortly afterwards, Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlen said a vote on whether Andersson should become prime minister would still go ahead on Thursday. He acknowledged, however, that she was likely to lose.
Under Sweden’s political system, a proposed prime minister can take office unless a majority of lawmakers votes against them.
Andersson’s centre-left bloc narrowly defeated outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing bloc in last month’s election, winning 176 seats against 173. Yet the victory has proved difficult to translate into a governing coalition.
The main obstacle lies in tensions within the left-wing alliance. The Centre Party has said it will not accept a government that gives Cabinet posts to the Left Party, while the Left Party has insisted it will support only a left-wing government in which it takes part.
If Andersson fails in Thursday’s vote, Norlen is expected to ask Kristersson, who leads a caretaker government, to begin negotiations with other parties. The speaker described Kristersson as a possible next candidate but said he would respect the process before making a final decision.
For Kristersson to return to power, he would need an opposition party to support him or at least abstain from voting against him.
The speaker has four chances to propose a prime minister. If all fail, Sweden must hold a snap election.
