Sweden risks government deadlock as far-right gains
NEITHER THE CENTRE-LEFT NOR THE CENTRE-RIGHT BLOC OBTAINED A MAJORITY
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Sweden faced political deadlock after the far-right made gains in legislative elections that left the question of who will form the next government up in the air yesterday.
The prime minister is usually the leader of the party with the most votes, but Sweden’s fragmented political landscape after Sunday’s election makes it impossible to predict who will form the next government.
As expected, neither the centre-left nor the centreright bloc obtained a majority.
The far-right Sweden Democrats solidified their position as third-biggest party and kingmaker, albeit with a lower score than they had expected.
Far-right parties have gained strength in elections in recent years in several European countries, including Germany and Italy.
Politicians in Sweden will now “need a lot of imagination” to form a government, daily Svenska Dagbladet wrote.
“However the dramatic bloc battle plays out, it looks like it will be difficult for Sweden to have a functioning government,” Dagens Nyheter wrote in an editorial.
Social Democratic Prime Minister Stefan Lofven’s “redgreen” left bloc enjoys a razorthin one-seat lead over the centre-right opposition Alliance.
‘Death of bloc politics’
Fewer than 30,000 votes separate the blocs and nearly 200,000 ballots from Swedes who voted abroad have yet to be counted.
The Social Democrats won 28.4 per cent of votes, down 2.8 points from the 2014 elections, their worst score in a century.
“Nevertheless, voters made the Social Democrats Sweden’s biggest party,” Lofven said.
Acknowledging the parliamentary deadlock, he extended an invitation to the opposition.
“This election should mark the death of bloc politics. We need a cross-bloc cooperation,” he told his supporters.
But the four-party Alliance rejected his invite, calling on Lofven to step down and make way for them to build a government.
“This government has had its chance. It has to resign,” Alliance opposition leader Ulf Kristersson told his conservative Moderate party supporters.
Lofven is seeking a new four-year mandate but he will have difficulty forming a stable government. He, like all of the other parties, has categorically ruled out any cooperation with the far-right. ■ mainstream parties get together in a German-style grand coalition. Both Lofven and Kristersson publicly ruled out this option ahead of Sunday’s vote, but the inconclusive result may eventually force them to think again.
In this case, expect a tightening of immigration policies and more spending on the police, defence and welfare.
What Next?
Lofven has vowed to remain in charge until parliament convenes, in two weeks’ time. He will have to face a confidence vote, and resign if a majority votes against him. In that scenario, the speaker will need to present a new potential prime minister and government, and a vote will be held in parliament.
Parties have a maximum of four attempts to form a government or face a new election within three months.