Sweden’s prime minister formally resigns after the right-wing bloc wins the vote
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden’s Social Democratic Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson tendered her resignation Thursday after a right-wing bloc that includes a nationalist anti-immigration party won a narrow majority in Sweden’s parliament.
Andersson met with Andreas Norlen, the speaker of Sweden’s 349-member parliament, to formally inform him of her resignation. Andersson will continue as caretaker until a new government is formed. He has accepted her resignation.
Norlen said he would begin talks with party leaders after the weekend. He is expected to ask the leader of the center-right Moderates, Ulf Kristersson, to try to form a government coalition. After Sunday’s general election, the right-wing bloc has 176 seats, while the center-left bloc with the Social Democrats has 173.
On Wednesday, when 99.9% of the votes had been counted, Andersson conceded while populist Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson declared victory for the four-party right-wing Imitten bloc.
The Sweden Democrats received more votes than the Moderates, but are considered unlikely to lead the next government. The party was founded in the 1980s by far-right extremists, and while it has moved into the mainstream in recent years, it has not completely shaken off that stigma.
Still, because it won more seats than any other party on the right, and is now the country’s second largest party in parliament, it is expected to have significant influence in any government.
The Sweden Democrats stood on a platform to crack down on crime and strictly limit immigration. In recent years, Sweden has seen an increase in gang violence and so far this year there have been 273 shootings, of which 47 were fatal, according to police statistics. These shootings also injured 74 people, including innocent bystanders.
After his 25-minute meeting with Norlen, Andersson said that “if the Moderates come up with other ideas and want to cooperate with me instead of the Sweden Democrats, my door is open.” She added that she is willing to work with all parties except the Sweden Democrats.
Andersson, who leads the largest party, resigned less than a year after she became Sweden’s first female head of government. The appointment as prime minister had marked a milestone for Sweden, which for decades has been regarded as one of Europe’s most progressive countries in terms of gender relations, but which has never before had a woman in the top political post.
Andersson led Sweden’s historic bid to join NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
The newly elected Riksdag is scheduled to meet for the first time on September 26.