Sweden’s King told the new Parliament to listen to each other

Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf urged the country’s newly elected MPs to listen to one another and seek common solutions as he formally opened the new parliamentary year.

The King delivered his traditional speech during the ceremonial opening of the Riksdag on Tuesday, as Sweden’s new Parliament begins work after the election and negotiations over the next government remain unresolved. SVT reported on the King’s address during the ceremony.

The King asked MPs to listen even when they disagree

Carl XVI Gustaf began his speech by noting that Sweden had held an election and that the members of the new Riksdag had now received a mandate to represent the Swedish people.

He described serving in Parliament as an important responsibility, giving MPs a role in deciding the direction the country will take over the coming years.

His central message was a call for dialogue across political differences.

“Listen to each other, even when you do not share the same views, and seek common solutions.”

The King also asked MPs to show the leadership that people have a right to expect from their elected representatives.

He concluded the ceremony by formally declaring the new parliamentary session open.

Carl XVI Gustaf also spoke about an uncertain world

The speech went beyond domestic politics.

The King referred to Russia’s war against Ukraine, geopolitical instability in the Middle East and urgent climate issues as examples of the uncertainty Sweden faces.

At the same time, he said Sweden’s success and influence abroad depend on what the country protects at home.

“Trust between people, a strong rule of law and confidence in democracy. The Riksdag is central to maintaining these values.”

Carl XVI Gustaf also spoke about the differences among MPs and within Swedish society. Swedes are young and old, live in cities and rural areas and have different experiences, he said, but are united by the desire for a good and secure life.

He said they also share an expectation that Sweden should be governed responsibly, with the interests of the whole population in mind and with respect for democratic principles.

The new Parliament begins work without a new government

The King’s appeal for cooperation comes at a delicate moment in Swedish politics.

On Monday, Andreas Norlén was re-elected Speaker of the Riksdag for the 2026-2030 term. He received 200 votes, while Social Democratic candidate Johanna Haraldsson received 146. The Riksdag confirmed the result of the secret ballot.

Norlén will now continue the process of forming Sweden’s next government.

That process returned to the Speaker after Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterna) leader Magdalena Andersson gave up her exploratory mandate, saying that she could not currently form a government that Parliament would tolerate.

The four red-green parties hold 176 of the Riksdag’s 349 seats, compared with 173 for the Tidö parties, but they have so far been unable to agree on a common government arrangement.

The King has no role in the government negotiations

Sweden’s monarch does not decide who should form a government.

That responsibility belongs to the Speaker, who consults the parliamentary parties and eventually presents a candidate for prime minister to the Riksdag.

The King’s role in the opening of Parliament is instead ceremonial. Each year, the monarch formally declares the new parliamentary session open.

His appeal to MPs therefore did not intervene in the negotiations themselves. But it came as the newly elected Parliament begins its work with one of its most important questions still unresolved: who will govern Sweden next.

Carl XVI Gustaf ended his speech by wishing MPs strength, courage and wisdom for the work ahead.