Magdalena Andersson unable to form government after Left backs Moderates' speaker
Andersson said the Left Party’s support for a Moderates’ Speaker candidate undercut her bid to form a cabinet after a narrow election win.
Magdalena Andersson, leader of the Social Democrats, announced she is unable to form a government in Sweden under the current circumstances, despite her left‑of‑centre bloc winning a narrow majority in elections this month.
Her withdrawal from the formation process followed a decision by the Left Party to back a candidate from the Moderates for the post of Speaker of the Parliament — a move Andersson said undermined her efforts to assemble a government.
Political setback after parliamentary manoeuvre
Andersson framed the Left Party's support for the Moderates' Speaker candidate as a clear political signal that reduced the options for coalition building. She said talks with other parties had not produced a path to a stable cabinet.
“Of course, I take the message from the Left Party seriously, and based on that and the conversations I have had, I can conclude that at the moment there is no possibility for me to form a government,” Andersson said.
The announcement leaves Sweden’s post‑election formation process uncertain. With the left‑of‑centre bloc holding only a slim majority, small cross‑bloc shifts — such as the Speaker vote — have immediate effects on who can realistically command support in the Riksdag.
Photo: AP)
