Swedish opposition leader given second chance to form government

Sweden's parliament speaker on Friday asked Magdalena Andersson, the leader of the Social Democrats, to again try to form a new government, despite her saying on Monday she was unable to secure enough backing to do so.

Andersson's center-left bloc won 176 seats to 173 for Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing coalition in a September 13 election, but the four parties that won disagree over who should be allowed to be part of the new government.

Andersson's announcement on Monday followed the Left Party's decision over the weekend to back a center-right Moderate Party candidate for parliament speaker, which she said had undercut her attempt to build a government.

Coalition-building in a fractured political spectrum

Swedish elections habitually produce minority governments or coalitions. Kristersson assembled his right-wing bloc in 2022 upon the speaker's request despite Andersson's Social Democrats having won the most seats of any individual party.

That governing bloc consisted of Kristersson's center-right Moderates, the Christian Democrats and the Liberals, but crucially with the 'confidence and supply' parliamentary voting support of the far-right Sweden Democrats.

The controversial Sweden Democrats, with formational roots in neo-Nazi groups and ongoing hardline opposition to immigration, won the second-most seats in the 2022 election to continue a 15-year rise to political prominence.

In this year's campaign Kristersson had said he would be ready to welcome Sweden Democrat politicians into government, breaking the country's previous cordon sanitaire against the far-right. 

However, in this election the Sweden Democrats suffered their first electoral reduction, falling back into third place. 

What happens next

Parliament speaker Andreas Norlen on Friday said the political and parliamentary conditions were the same now as when Andersson was first given a mandate.

"It is exactly the same election result, the same distribution of seats, and the same parties that are designating her as their leading candidate for prime minister... so it is reasonable for her to resume her exploratory talks," he said.

Andersson is due to report back to the speaker by October 12, either by replying or asking for an extension.

If Andersson were to ask for an extension it is a matter of discussion how long that extension can be, Norlen said. A vote in parliament will definitely take place after her second attempt, he added.

There is little indication so far that Kristersson would face fewer obstacles to form a government, needing to win the backing of at least one center-left party while retaining the support of the Sweden Democrats.