Sweden: the leader of the Social Democrats fails again to form a government

The leader of the Social Democrats Magdalena Andersson declared on Tuesday October 13 that the conditions were not “met” to form a government in Sweden, her second failure a month after legislative elections won by a hair by the left bloc.

Internal differences

“Progress has been made (in discussions with other parties, editor’s note), but at the same time, the conditions necessary for the formation of a government” are “not met,” she declared during a press conference. Ms. Andersson already failed at the end of September in her first attempt to make the centrists and the radical left, two groups very far from each other, coexist within the same alliance.

Aged 59, the leader of the Social Democrats has 176 seats with her allies in Parliament compared to 173 for the right and the far right. The parties from his bloc met for the first time on Friday, after weeks of not wanting to sit around the same table. The left party demands ministerial positions to support a possible government, a “red line” for centrists who refuse to govern with this formation.

The future of the country still uncertain

It is now up to the President of Parliament to decide what course of action to follow: either grant Ms Andersson additional time or submit her to a vote in Parliament for the post of Prime Minister. He may also decide to entrust the mission of forming a government to Ulf Kristersson, the conservative leader and outgoing prime minister. The results of the legislative elections of September 13 were so close that it took several days to confirm the narrow victory of the center-left bloc over that of Mr. Kristersson.

Who will ultimately lead the country of 11 million inhabitants? The President of Parliament has four attempts to instruct an official to form a government. If the fourth fails, new elections must be called - a very unpopular prospect. The Nordic country has already experienced this type of situation. After the 2022 elections, it took 37 days to form a government, and 134 days in 2018.