In brief
The Riksdag voted 248 to 99 against Magdalena Andersson as prime minister on Thursday, 15 October. All 99 votes in favour came from her own Social Democrats.
The Centre Party opposes ministerial posts for the Left Party, which will back only a left government it belongs to. The left bloc holds 176 seats against 173 for the centre-right bloc.
Speaker Andreas Norlén has four attempts to put a candidate to a vote. New elections must be called if parliament does not back a candidate after three more attempts.
Ulf Kristersson is performing the prime minister's duties after formally submitting his resignation, until a successor is chosen by parliament.
- 2 OctSpeaker Andreas Norlén re-entrusts Andersson with forming a government
- 13 OctAndersson says conditions for forming a government are not currently met
- 15 OctRiksdag rejects Andersson as prime minister, 248 votes to 99
The vote
Sweden's Riksdag on Thursday, 15 October, rejected Magdalena Andersson as prime minister by 248 votes to 99. All 99 votes in favour came from her own Social Democrats, while the remaining 248 deputies from six other parties voted against. The outcome had been widely expected, and Andersson herself had said on Tuesday, 13 October, that conditions for forming a government were not currently in place. The Social Democrats emerged as the largest party in the 13 September election, yet the country has now gone more than a month without a government.
- In favour
- 99 votes
- Against
- 248 votes
Data from the article text
How talks stalled
The election left the centre-left bloc with 176 seats against 173 for the centre-right bloc of outgoing prime minister Ulf Kristersson, which includes the Sweden Democrats. The Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Centre Party and the Green Party together hold 176 seats, a narrow majority. The Centre Party has said it would oppose any government that gives the Left Party ministerial posts, while the Left Party has insisted it would back only a left government of which it is part. Andersson's bloc needs the consent of the Centre Party, the Left Party and the Greens to reach any agreement. Andersson broke off talks after the Left Party voted for the re-election of Andreas Norlén as Riksdag speaker instead of the Social Democratic candidate. After Thursday's vote she described the situation in parliament as very complex, with a long list of blockages on the left, in the centre and on the right.
- Centre-left bloc
- 176 seats
- Centre-right bloc
- 173 seats
Data from the article text
Timeline since the election
Andersson was designated six days after the election to lead negotiations on a new government. She gave up that initial mandate on 28 September, after finding deep disagreements between the Centre Party and the Left Party. Speaker Andreas Norlén handed her the task again on 2 October, warning that formal contacts this time would have to end in a vote in the chamber. Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister from 2021 to 2022, has now tried twice to form a government without success. The vote on Thursday was the first of the speaker's four opportunities to put forward a candidate.
What happens next
Speaker Andreas Norlén will now consult the leaders of all parties to find someone with a chance of a parliamentary majority, and that person could be Andersson again or another politician. If parliament still does not back a candidate nominated by Norlén after three more attempts, early elections must be called. Until a new prime minister is chosen, Ulf Kristersson of the Moderates is performing the duties of head of government, having formally submitted his resignation. The Moderates are the second largest party in the Riksdag, and Andersson has said it is reasonable for them to explore whether they can win support. The Centre Party and the Left Party remain the main sticking points in the search for a majority.