Sweden’s Andersson Gets Fresh Shot at Forming Government

Sweden’s Social Democrat leader and election winner Magdalena Andersson was asked to have a further go at forming a new government after her first attempt failed.

Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlén restated his request to Andersson after a round of consultations with party leaders earlier this week.

“The fundamental parliamentary circumstances are the same now as they were when Magdalena Andersson was first given the assignment,” Norlén said at a news conference on Friday. It would be “a good thing” to complete the task, he said.

Andersson’s Social Democrat-led bloc won 176 seats versus 173 for incumbent Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and his allies at a general election last month, but her first attempt to form a coalition foundered amid tensions between the Center Party and Left Party over who should be part of her eventual government.

The Center Party has said it can’t support a government including the Left Party while Left says it won’t back the formation of an administration it isn’t part of. Andersson’s decision to hand back the government-formation mandate on Monday was seen by some experts as a way to pressure her allies to reach a compromise.

Andersson has agreed to restart talks on Monday and report back to Norlén on Oct. 12, saying either that her negotiations are complete or that she needs more time. When the process is complete, a vote in parliament will be held on Andersson’s candidacy as prime minister, according to Norlén.

Speaking on X, the Social Democrat leader said she welcomed the speaker’s decision and would consider over the weekend how best to take the process forward.

Sweden’s rules state that parliament can vote four times on a prime minister before another election must be called. So far, no such ballots have been held. If Andersson fails, the mandate is likely to go to Kristersson.

Under the Swedish system, a prime minister doesn’t need the backing of a majority of lawmakers, but must ensure most members of parliament don’t actively oppose them.

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