Andersson challenges Speaker's choice for prime-minister vote

Magdalena Andersson has challenged the decision to put Centre leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist before parliament as Sweden's next prime minister, arguing that Ulf Kristersson should have been asked to test his alternative first.

The Social Democrat leader called the decision "remarkable" in a Thursday statement to SVT. She questioned both the choice of a candidate who had not explored becoming prime minister herself and a proposed coalition containing unwilling parties.

Thand Ringqvist's talks had sought a government led by Andersson. The Centre Party says that was the purpose of her mandate and that the obstacles to a centrist government remain.

Andersson said the parties needed to take responsibility together and loosen their positions. She would continue talks with the other leaders.

Speaker Andreas Norlén has scheduled the parliamentary vote for 3 November at 13:00. If Thand Ringqvist is rejected, Kristersson will receive the next exploratory mandate, Sveriges Radio reports. The dispute is over which alternative gets tested first, while a governing agreement remains out of reach.

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