Sweden's Andersson Abandons Government Formation After Left Party Backs Moderate Speaker

Magdalena Andersson, leader of Sweden's Social Democratic Party, announced on Monday, September 28, that she would return her exploratory mandate to parliament's speaker, abandoning her attempt to form a government after her center-left bloc's narrow election victory on September 13.

Andersson's four-party coalition—comprising the Social Democrats, Greens, Centre Party, and Left Party—won 176 of parliament's 349 seats, edging out the outgoing right-wing alliance's 173 seats by a margin of approximately 50,000 votes. However, the bloc fractured over the selection of parliament's speaker. The Left Party announced it would support incumbent Speaker Andreas Norlén, a member of the centre-right Moderate Party, rather than the Social Democrats' candidate Johanna Haraldsson. Andersson cited Sweden's tradition that the speaker comes from the largest party in the governing coalition; the Left Party's decision to back Norlén effectively signaled a new political constellation had emerged.

At a press conference, Andersson stated: "Based on the discussions I have had, I can conclude that, as things currently stand, it is not possible for me to form a government." She added that the new parliamentary constellation should be given the opportunity to attempt government formation. Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar rejected suggestions that her party had formed a political alliance with the Moderates, instead arguing that Norlén was backed for his experience as speaker and in overseeing government formation talks.

Parliament's speaker is expected to next ask another party leader to form a government, with outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of the Moderate Party seen as the likely choice. Kristersson continues to lead a caretaker government. Any new government will face significant constraints: Kristersson's bloc also lacks a majority and would require support from the Centre Party, whose leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist has ruled out backing a government that includes either the Sweden Democrats or the Left Party.

Sweden has a history of protracted government formations. It took 37 days following the 2022 election and 134 days after the 2018 election to establish new governments. Andersson received her exploratory mandate on September 18, four days after the initial election results were announced on September 17, following the resignation of Kristersson.