Sweden election: Leader of former neo-Nazi party SLAMS Moderate party member’s plan

Tuesday the leaders of Sweden’s eight main parties met with parliamentary speaker Andreas Norlén for the second round of talks, who saw Mr Norlén give Swedish centre-right leader Ulf Kristersson a go-ahead to start negotiations of forming a new Government.

The country has been on an almost one-month long political deadlock that so far no one has come close to break.

The first round of talks on September 25 did not find Sweden a new Prime Minister after none of the parties arrived at a compromise and saw current Prime Minister Stefan Löfven losing a vote of confidence.

Speaker Andreas Norlén said on Tuesday’s development: “A great onus is now placed on the parties and party leaders to reconsider their previous positions and make it possible to form a government.”

Mr Kristersson has been given a deadline of about two weeks to form a new Government.

But speaker for rival party Social Democrats Anders Ygeman thinks it’s so far “looking dark.”

He said: “Given what the other parties have previously said, Kristersson chances of forming a new Government is looking very dark.”

However, in the latest development in Sweden’s political chaos the Moderates youth party is urging Mr Kristersson to test his support for a minority Government made up by the four parties in the Alliance.

Chairman Benjamin Dousa told SVT: “I think he should test his support in the Riksdag for a Government made up of the Alliance, no matter what Löfven and Ygeman say.”

But when asked which other parties would back the centre-right bloc the chairman said: “That is yet to be discovered.

“But without speculating too much, it is the Sweden Democrats that has clearly stated they want to see a change of Government.”

In response to Mr Dousa, Jimmie Åkesson leader of far-right Sweden Democrats said: “That is completely insular.

“Yes, we want to contribute to getting another Government in place, but our support is not free which is completely reasonable.

“I have to respect the interests of my 1.1 million voters in this process.”

Mr Åkesson also said the fact he wants a new Government does not mean he will approve just any other suggestion that comes up in the negotiations.

He added: “That we want a new Government does not mean that we will approve a centre-right Government in which the Liberals and the Center Party are included and want to further increase the flow of immigrants to Sweden.

“I am prepared to back Ulf Kristersson in exchange for our influence in proportion to our election results.”

This comes amid the Sweden general election which delivered a hung parliament with the center-left bloc headed by Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and the Social Democrats on 144 seats, and the four-party Alliance on 145 seats.

The Centre Party and Liberals, two of the four parties that comprise Kristersson’s Alliance have said they would quit the coalition if the Moderates and Christian Democrats strike a deal with the Sweden Democrats to get their support.

Both Löfven’s centre-left bloc and Kristersson have previously said they are prepared to strike a bipartisan compromise, allowing one side to form a minority government with the support of the other in parliament.

However, Löfven has said he believes his Social Democrats should be in charge of such a coalition.

Both blocs have said they will not negotiate with the far-right party, although the Alliance’s Christian Democrats have said they would be prepared to do so if necessary.

But Swedish election expert Li Bennich-Björkman has said she believes Kristerssons will eventually eat humble pie and give the Sweden Democrats the influence they crave.

She said: “Kristersson has a big internal battle in his coalition.

“I think he will realise that the situation won’t be solved by the Alliance and will eventually turn to the Sweden Democrats.”