Left Party reaches out to Centre as government talks stall

The Left Party wants the Centre Party to join it in a future government, opening another route through Sweden's political deadlock. But its invitation leaves its own central demand intact.

Deputy leader Ida Gabrielsson called for negotiations between the Social Democrats, Greens, Centre and Left in SVT's Aktuellt on Monday evening.

Her intervention followed Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson's decision to abandon her first attempt to form a government.

Gabrielsson argued that participation in government would make cooperation more stable. She pointed to previous disputes in which Centre opposed budget measures the Left had helped negotiate.

The proposal is an invitation to negotiate, with no agreement announced. SVT reported that both the Social Democrats and Centre had been invited to the programme but cancelled their appearances.

The Left's condition remains that it must have ministers of its own. Gabrielsson's offer extends cabinet participation to Centre; it does not withdraw the demand that has kept her party at the centre of the negotiations.

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