After negotiations to create a centre-right government foundered a couple of weeks ago, Social Democrats leader and ousted Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has been given a new change to form Sweden’s next government.
On Monday, Mr Löfven was expected to present his proposal for the new government but yet again failed to reach the support he needed.
And on Tuesday, October 30 the previous Head of State said he would not be interested in supporting a government where he would not function as Prime Minister.
Mr Löfven said: “If the Social Democrats are going to a part of the new government it will be with me as Prime Minister.”
Yesterday, Parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlén met with the centre-right bloc’s parties as well as the Social Democrats and the Green Party to discuss four government alternatives.
The talks will continue in the next few days.
The goal is to finally find a solution to the political deadlock which occurred on September 9, just over seven weeks ago.
But on Tuesday night, nothing suggested that the discussions led to the parties agreeing on any possible government solution.
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Sweden election results: Stefan Lofven demands being re-elected to help break the political deadlock (Image: GETTY)
Instead, Mr Norlén continues having more informal, individual talks with the party leaders, hoping to solve the current situation.
He told journalists last night that talks with fellow party leaders had been “constructive” and “honest” but that no one had changed their position.
In a press release issued on October 30, the Swedish Parliament said: “The President will return within a few days announcing the next step in government formation.”
The speaker has a total of four chances to ask a candidate to try to form a government that will be accepted by parliament, and if they fail to agree, a new election shall be held within three months.
Sweden election: The leaders of the three largest parties in Sweden; Lofven, Kristersson and Akesson (Image: GETTY)
Support for the far-right Sweden Democrats must also be taken into account.
The anti-immigration party saw a significant surge in the 2018 Swedish election when the right-wingers became the third-biggest party with 17.5 percent of the votes and 62 mandates in the 349-seats big Parliament.
As a result, mainstream parties on both the left and the right declined and only one parliamentary seat separated the centre-left (144) and the centre-right (143) blocs.
And ever since, both of the coalitions have struggled to reach the majority needed to form a viable government that is not forced to rely on the support of the Sweden Democrats, something neither of the main parties wants.
Sweden election results: Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and Parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlen (Image: GETTY)
Where to go from here – 2018 Swedish election ABC
1. The election in Sweden was held on September 9, 2018 and ended with the Social Democrats becoming the largest party, the Moderates second largest and the Swedish Democrats number three.
2. The four conservative parties in the centre-right Alliance were the government alternative that received the greatest support, but none of the blocks got a parliamentary majority as nobody would cooperate with the Swedish Democrats.
3. On October 2, Moderates party leader Ulf Kristersson spend two weeks trying to form a government alternative that could get the majority of the Parliament’s approval but did not succeed.
4. On Monday, October 15 the mission went on to Social Democrats leader and acting prime minister Stefan Löfven.
5. Mr Löfven had a deadline on Monday, October 29, but also failed in solving the situation.
6. A new suggestion is that another party leader will try to gather support for a government project. Analysts have pointed out that it may be the leader of the Centre party, Annie Lööf, who will have to work for a collective government across the blocks.
7. When a prime minister is to be appointed, the Parliamentary President will consult with representatives of each and every party group in the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) and present his proposal to the Riksdag.
8. Within four days, the Riksdag will vote in favour of the proposal for a new prime minister. If more than half of the representatives vote no, it is rejected, if not, it is approved.
9. If the Parliament rejects the proposal, the procedure will be repeated. If the Parliament votes down the speaker’s proposal four times, the process will be interrupted and new elections shall be held within three months.