Sweden’s Center Left Wins Narrow Election Majority

Sweden’s center-left opposition, led by Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson, narrowly won the parliamentary election, securing a small majority over Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right Tidö bloc, which is supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Kristersson resigned, clearing the way for Andersson, a former prime minister, to try to form a government, although late and overseas ballots and parliamentary approval remain pending. The Social Democrats recorded their weakest vote share in more than a century, while support for the Sweden Democrats declined despite immigration, asylum and gang crime dominating the campaign. Andersson must negotiate with the Greens, Centre Party and Left Party, whose differences over taxation, migration, nuclear power and cooperation with the Left Party could complicate coalition formation. The election highlighted competing priorities, including welfare and the economy on the left and crime reduction, national security and stricter migration policies on the right.