Stockholm, November 6: Sweden's far-right Sweden Democrats party said on Friday it would not oppose a centre-right minority coalition, potentially clearing the way for Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to stay in power despite having lost his majority in an election in September, Reuters reported.

Source: Reuters

"The Sweden Democrats are prepared to tolerate Ulf Kristersson as prime minister in a four-party centre-right government," their leader Jimmie Akesson told a press conference. Until now, the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who have 62 lawmakers in the 349-seat parliament, had demanded cabinet posts as the price for their backing. Akesson said on Friday his party would instead spend the next four years in opposition.

The announcement is the latest turn in a deadlock that has lasted since the September 13 vote, in which Kristersson's bloc won 173 seats against 176 for the opposition but the centre-left bloc has so far not agreed on how to share power. Earlier this week, as Awaaz Punjab reported, parliament's speaker tasked Kristersson with exploring a government formation after the centre-left election winners failed to agree on a coalition.

Source: Sweden Herald

Earlier development: the speaker's mandate to Kristersson followed the centre-left's failure to agree a coalition. Read the earlier story

What Akesson announced in Solvesborg

Speaking at a press conference in his hometown of Solvesborg, Akesson said his party could give up ministerial posts and allow a government comprising the Centre Party, Christian Democrats, Liberals and Moderates to take office. "This means tolerating Ulf Kristersson by urging abstention in a vote for prime minister. After that, we let the government-former take responsibility for his government," he said. "You're on your own, so to speak."

Akesson said the Sweden Democrats would then go into "full opposition" and become an important "wave-maker". "Since there are no conditions for being part of a government, the Sweden Democrats will be in opposition until the next election," he said, adding: "A real win would be avoiding the Green Party and the Left Party in Rosenbad. That is very important to my voters." Rosenbad is the seat of the Swedish government in Stockholm.

He was equally clear about what his party will not do. "We will not be a support party. I am very clear about that. We will not conclude any long-term agreements or promise any agreements on budgets or anything," Akesson said. Asked whether the party could let a budget pass without having negotiated it, he replied: "No, that is quite unlikely. But of course, we are absolutely open to negotiating the budget, just as all opposition parties should be if they want to have influence."

Why Kristersson's path is still not clear

The move removes one obstacle but not the decisive one. Kristersson's bloc has sought to persuade the Centre Party to switch sides, but the Centre Party will not work with the Sweden Democrats and has ruled out supporting a cabinet that includes them, as well as one that includes the Left Party — and both the Centre Party and the Left Party would be needed for a centre-left majority. The Centre Party has said it favours Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson as prime minister, and there was no indication on Friday that it would back a Kristersson government. Sweden Herald reported the Centre Party was surprised by the announcement; Reuters said it did not have an immediate comment.

Kristersson, currently acting prime minister, welcomed the shift in a written comment to Reuters: "The Sweden Democrats' decision … is welcome and could make what was very hard somewhat less difficult." In a separate written comment reported by Sweden Herald, he added: "The Sweden Democrats' responsible announcement is welcome and could perhaps make something that was very difficult somewhat less difficult. The talks are continuing." The Social Democrats' deputy group leader in the Riksdag, Anders Ygeman, dismissed the announcement: "The Sweden Democrats' announcement changes nothing. A government led by Kristersson would continue to be completely dependent on Jimmie Akesson and the Sweden Democrats."

Even the budget arithmetic stays tight. Sweden Herald calculated that if the Social Democrats, Left Party and Green Party join forces on a joint budget alternative, it would command 151 votes against 136 for the Moderates, Christian Democrats, Liberals and Centre Party — meaning a centre-right government could still need Sweden Democrat support to pass a budget its would-be backers have not negotiated.

What happens next

Parliament could vote next week on whether to approve a new term for Kristersson. Under Sweden's system he does not need a majority in favour — he only needs to ensure a majority in parliament does not vote against him. The speaker can put forward four candidates before a new election has to be called, and Speaker Andreas Norlen is widely expected to give the mandate back to Andersson should Kristersson fail to gain a majority.