Magdalena Andersson has abandoned her attempt to form a government after the Left Party withdrew its support, despite the centre-left winning a 176-173 seat advantage in the 349-seat Riksdag. The Speaker is likely to ask Ulf Kristersson to try next; the Speaker may nominate up to four candidates for a confidence vote, and a failure of all four would trigger a new election. Police and prosecutors are investigating alleged election irregularities around Stockholm and in Borlänge, which could affect up to 11 parliamentary seats and further complicate government formation.
Sweden’s Government Formation Stalls as Andersson Abandons Bid After Left Party Withdrawal
Swedish Social Democratic Party Magdalena Andersson speaks as the general election's voting results are released in Stockholm, Sweden, September 13, 2026. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
STOCKHOLM, Sept 28 — Efforts to form a new Swedish government stalled on Monday after Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson announced she could not secure the parliamentary support required, despite the centre-left bloc winning a narrow majority in the Sept. 13 election.
"I can conclude that there is currently no possibility for me to form a government," Andersson said, adding that she had lost the backing of the Left Party.
What Happened
Andersson said she was abandoning her attempt to build a coalition after the Left Party — one of the partners needed to secure a majority — declared it would back a centre-right candidate for the Speaker's post. The Left Party had previously said it would only support Andersson as prime minister.
The centre-left opposition won 176 seats in Sweden's 349-seat Riksdag, compared with 173 for the centre-right bloc. With such a slim margin, the withdrawal of even one partner made forming a stable government impossible in the short term.
Next Steps
The Speaker of the Riksdag is now likely to ask incumbent Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson — leader of the Moderates and the largest party of the centre-right bloc — whether he can form a government. Under Sweden's constitution the Speaker may nominate up to four candidates to parliament for a confidence vote; if all four are rejected, a new national election must be held.
Election Irregularities Under Review
Complicating the political picture, police said they had opened preliminary investigations into five complaints of suspected election fraud in areas around Stockholm. Prosecutors are also investigating alleged irregularities in the central town of Borlänge, a case that could put as many as 11 parliamentary seats at stake if the Election Review Board orders a re-run of the vote there.
Context
The election result was driven in part by a decline in support for the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, bucking a wider European trend of gains for far-right parties. If the centre-right fails to form a government, Andersson could receive another chance to try to assemble a coalition.
For context, it took Social Democrat Stefan Löfven 134 days to form a government after the 2018 election — a reminder that Swedish government formation can be lengthy and politically intricate.
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