Sweden’s parliament rejected Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist as a candidate for prime minister on Tuesday, with 324 members voting against her and just 25 supporting her. Ringqvist had said beforehand that it was unreasonable for a party of the Centre Party’s size to claim the premiership, but agreed to stand as part of efforts to move government formation forward.
The Centre Party won about seven percent of the vote in September’s parliamentary election. Ringqvist had held talks on forming a centrist government with the aim of making Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson prime minister, but the effort failed. Andersson had also unsuccessfully sought support for a centre-left government and lost a parliamentary vote.
The next person tasked with exploring options for a government will be caretaker Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of the Moderates. His centre-right bloc lost the election. Kristersson said the task would be difficult, probably very difficult, but perhaps not entirely impossible.
Kristersson’s minority government, made up of the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals, previously relied on support from the Sweden Democrats. The populist-right party said before the election that it wanted ministerial posts, but a coalition including it would not have a parliamentary majority. The Centre Party has ruled out joining a government with the Sweden Democrats and has said Kristersson disqualified himself from serving as prime minister. A centrist government led by him therefore appears unlikely.
Even a potential majority for a red-green bloc together with the Centre Party has not resolved the impasse. The Left Party says it will participate only if it joins the government, while the Centre Party rejects that arrangement. Liberal leader Simona Mohamsson has also ruled out an understanding with Andersson.
Four failed parliamentary votes to elect a prime minister would automatically trigger a new election, which must be held within three months. Political scientist Tommy Möller of Stockholm University said that scheduling further votes brings that prospect closer and is intended in particular to increase pressure on Andersson, whom he described as the obvious choice given the election results. With the parties’ disagreements unresolved, Sweden could be heading towards a snap election.
Sources: FAZ.