Magdalena Andersson has failed to form Sweden’s next government, after more than a month of negotiations following the September parliamentary election. The Social Democratic leader acknowledged on Tuesday 13 October that, despite some progress, the parties remain too divided to agree on a government.
After meeting Speaker of Parliament Andreas Norlén, Andersson announced that she would not seek more time for negotiations. Instead, the Riksdag will vote on her candidacy for prime minister on Thursday 15 October, even though she expects to be rejected.
The vote will concern a government consisting only of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterna), rather than the broader four-party coalition Andersson had been trying to assemble.
Andersson acknowledges that the negotiations have failed
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday morning, Andersson said that discussions with other political leaders had produced some progress, but not enough to form a government.
“My overall assessment is that progress has been made, but that there are currently no conditions for forming a government that can be tolerated by the Riksdag.”
As reported by DR, Andersson acknowledged that Sweden remains in a parliamentary deadlock and called on the parties to act constructively.
Her meeting with Norlén had originally been scheduled for Monday 12 October, but she requested an additional day to continue discussions.
Despite that extension, the positions of the parties remain too far apart. Andersson subsequently told TV4 that requesting even more time would not have been meaningful.
It is the second time Andersson has been unable to complete her exploratory mission. She first received the mandate on 18 September, returned it on 28 September following disagreements with the Left Party, and was given another opportunity by Norlén on 2 October.
The Centre and Left parties remain divided
The obstacle has not changed since the first round of negotiations.
The election on 13 September left the four parties supporting Andersson with 176 seats in the 349-member Riksdag, compared with 173 for the four Tidö parties.
However, the parliamentary majority has not translated into an agreement on forming a government.
The Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) insists on receiving ministerial posts in any Social Democratic-led government it supports. The Centre Party (Centerpartiet), led by Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, refuses to participate in or support a government that includes the Left.
The Green Party (Miljöpartiet) has continued to argue for a coalition involving all four parties.
Andersson has tried to move the discussions towards a common political programme rather than focusing exclusively on which parties would receive cabinet positions. But the disagreements over government participation have prevented that approach from producing a breakthrough.
As Sweden Herald reported through the TT news agency, Andersson attributed the deadlock in particular to incompatible positions on the composition of the government.
Parliament will vote on Andersson on Thursday
Despite the failed negotiations, Norlén has formally proposed Andersson as prime minister of a single-party Social Democratic government.
The Swedish Riksdag confirmed that the vote will take place on Thursday 15 October at 12:00.
Andersson herself expects to lose.
“In such a vote, I will lose.”
The Left Party and the Greens have already announced that they will vote against a government consisting only of Social Democrats.
Left Party deputy leader Ida Gabrielsson confirmed the party’s position to SVT, while Green Party representatives also ruled out supporting the proposed arrangement.
Green Party co-leader Amanda Lind reiterated that her party continues to favour a government including all four parties.
The Centre Party has not yet announced how it will vote and says it will follow its internal decision-making procedures.
These positions explain why Andersson’s candidacy is expected to fail. The rejection would concern the proposed single-party government, not necessarily the possibility of Andersson eventually leading a different coalition.
Under Sweden’s system of negative parliamentarism, a prime ministerial candidate is approved unless at least 175 MPs vote against. The candidate does not need an absolute majority voting in favour.
The vote could increase pressure on the parties
Holding a vote that is widely expected to fail may seem unusual, but Norlén and Andersson both see it as a way of moving the negotiations forward.
The Speaker had already announced that Andersson’s second exploratory period would end with a parliamentary vote, regardless of whether she had secured an agreement.
Norlén believes that formally testing a candidate can force parties to reconsider their positions and the consequences of continued disagreement.
There is also a constitutional limit to how long this process can continue without a successful vote. If the Riksdag rejects four proposals for prime minister, an extraordinary election must be held.
Each unsuccessful vote therefore brings that possibility closer.
In an analysis published by SVT, political commentator Elisabeth Marmorstein warned that a prolonged series of unsuccessful votes could damage public confidence not only in the parties involved but also in the political system.
The government formation could return to the starting point
If Andersson is rejected on Thursday, Norlén will resume consultations with the parliamentary parties to decide who should receive the next exploratory mandate.
One possibility is that Moderate Party (Moderaterna) leader Ulf Kristersson will be given an opportunity to test whether he can form a government. Another is that Andersson will eventually be asked to try again.
Neither option currently offers a clear solution.
Kristersson’s four-party bloc lacks a majority, and an alternative arrangement involving the Centre Party would face its opposition to dependence on the Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna).
Meanwhile, the four parties supporting Andersson remain unable to agree on the terms of government participation.
More than a month after the election, Sweden therefore faces another parliamentary test without an agreed government waiting to take office.
Thursday’s vote is unlikely to resolve the deadlock. Its significance may instead lie in whether a formal defeat changes the calculations of the parties that have so far refused to compromise.
