Swedish parliament rejects Andersson as prime minister

Sweden’s parliament rejected Magdalena Andersson as prime minister on Thursday, 15 October, leaving Ulf Kristersson’s caretaker government in office and government talks unresolved.

The official tally was 248 against and 99 in favour, with no abstentions and two MPs absent. Only the Social Democrats supported their leader; all seven other parties voted against her.

Speaker Andreas Norlén had proposed Andersson to lead a government consisting only of Social Democrats, after she failed to reach an agreement with other parties.

The Centre Party said it could accept an S-only government but lacked a concrete policy programme rooted in the political centre. The Left Party and Greens opposed being excluded from government, according to SVT’s coverage of their parliamentary speeches.

Andersson told SVT after the defeat that forming a government would require several votes. She said the Moderates should have an opportunity to explore a solution, while acknowledging that the Speaker decides.

Under Sweden’s rules, a nominee is rejected if at least 175 MPs vote against them. The Speaker can put forward four proposals; if all fail, an extra election must be held within three months.

Norlén will telephone other party leaders on Thursday afternoon before considering his next step. Parliament says further information will come on Friday, 16 October.

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