Swedish PM on brink as no-confidence vote looms

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden faces a snap election or a caretaker government if a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, brought by the far-right Sweden Democrats and backed by other opposition parties, passes next week, as looks likely.

The Sweden Democrats demanded the vote, now scheduled for Monday, after the Left, a party at the other end of the political spectrum, said it could no longer back Lofven, objecting to a government plan to scrap rent controls on newly built apartments.

Lofven leads a minority coalition and has relied on support from both the Left Party and two small center-right parties since winning a second term in office after the 2018 election.

“If we have a chance to replace this damaging government we will take it,” Henrik Vinge, the Sweden Democrat’s parliamentary group leader, told a news conference.

The Moderate Party, the biggest opposition party in parliament, said it would vote to oust Lofven, as did the smaller Christian Democrats.

“We will vote against Stefan Lofven’s government,” Moderate parliamentary group leader Tobias Billstrom told reporters.

With the Left Party set to join the vote against Lofven, he will be forced to resign or call a snap election. A vote of no-confidence would need a simple majority in the 349-seat parliament.