Sweden's Left-Leaning Bloc Wins Election, Prime Minister Resigns

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has resigned following the defeat of his center-right bloc in the parliamentary elections held on September 13. The left-leaning bloc, led by Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson, is set to return to power. According to the Swedish Election Authority, the four opposition parties, Social Democrats, Left Party, Green Party, and Center Party, secured 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, narrowly defeating Kristersson's bloc of the Moderate Party, Christian Democrats, and Liberals, which, with the support of the Sweden Democrats, garnered 173 seats. The vote difference was approximately 50,000 votes, with a turnout of 84.8%. The vote count concluded on September 17.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a socialist, celebrated the outcome, stating on social media platform X that "Social democracy has won the elections in Sweden. After four years of right-wing rule with the far-right, the Swedes are once again betting on the welfare state, social justice, and the green agenda." Andersson, who previously served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022, now has an opportunity to reclaim the position.

Despite remaining the largest party, the Social Democrats achieved one of their worst historical results, securing about 28% of the vote and 99 seats, a loss of eight seats from the 2022 election. The Sweden Democrats, who supported Israel and advocated for forceful action against Iran, also saw a decline, losing 11 seats to hold 62, representing about 17.5% of the vote compared to 20.5% previously.

Forming a new government is expected to be challenging. The Center Party has expressed reluctance to join a government that includes ministers from the Left Party. Andersson herself has previously stated she does not intend to form a government with the Left Party's participation but hopes for their parliamentary support. Significant disagreements persist among the parties regarding taxes, energy, and migration policy.

Following the results, Kristersson submitted his resignation to the speaker of parliament to initiate the process of forming a new government. He wished Andersson success in navigating the "difficult conditions" of internal alliance disagreements that could hinder coalition formation. Kristersson remains leader of the Moderate Party and is reportedly prepared to rejoin the government if Andersson fails to form a cabinet.