Parliamentary elections in Sweden: Prime Minister Andersson admits defeat

Sweden’s Prime Minister Andersson has acknowledged the election victory of the right-wing opposition alliance. At the same time, the social democrat declared that she wanted to hand in her resignation tomorrow.

Three days after the parliamentary elections in Sweden, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has admitted defeat. The conservative-right camp around her challenger Ulf Kristersson received a narrow majority, so she will submit her resignation as prime minister on Thursday, the social democrat said in Stockholm.

Responsibility for the further process will then pass to Parliament President Andreas Norlén and the Reichstag, she said. It is important that Sweden gets a new government as soon as possible.

Majority of 176 seats

Shortly before, it had become known that the conservative-right camp made up of moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats and Liberals was able to extend its minimal lead in the vote count. According to the count, one mandate moved from the Social Democrats to the moderates of their challenger Kristersson, as the website of the Swedish electoral authority showed. At that time, more than 99 percent of all 6,578 constituencies had been provisionally counted.

The lead of Kristersson’s four-party bloc over Andersson’s four-party camp grew to 176-to-173 seats, up from 175-to-174. 175 of the 349 seats in the Reichstag in Stockholm are necessary for a majority. A preliminary result is still pending.

Government formation open

For the first time, participation in government is within reach for the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats, who became the second strongest force behind the Social Democrats. Against this background, your boss, Jimmie Åkesson, claimed victory in the parliamentary elections for the right-wing conservative camp. Now it’s time to put Sweden first, he said. Whether the four parties from Kristersson’s bloc can ultimately agree on government cooperation remains to be seen.

Because although the Sweden Democrats received more votes than the moderates in the parliamentary elections, their candidate Kristersson is considered the likely new head of government should the right-wing camp agree on a partnership. The other members of the potential alliance had already declared that they would not vote for Åkesson as prime minister. Liberals and Sweden Democrats have opposing positions on many issues. Åkesson had promised to put his stamp on the new government.

Numbers tilted on election night

In the first forecasts, Andersson’s camp was just in the lead. During the election evening on Sunday, the numbers tipped in favor of Kristersson, who led by a minimal margin of 175 to 174 seats.

The race between the camps was so close that the electoral authorities did not announce a provisional result during the night from Sunday to Monday. First she wanted to count postal votes cast late and votes from Swedes from abroad. These votes were now gradually included in the result. The final election result in Sweden is usually known around a week after election day.