Sweden's Centre Party Weighs Centre-Right Coalition

Sweden’s Centre Party is weighing a major shift toward supporting caretaker Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right government, a move that could end the post-election deadlock and block the center-left from forming a government. Earlier negotiations saw both blocs court the pivotal Centre Party, while facing opposing hurdles: Social Democrats led by Magdalena Andersson struggled to reconcile the Left Party’s demand for cabinet posts with the Centre’s refusal to accept them, and Kristersson had to address concerns about the Sweden Democrats’ influence. The reported opening for the right followed Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson’s decision to give up his demand for cabinet positions and offer to tolerate a minority government from outside it. The Centre Party’s reported change of course remains contested within the party, and the available reports do not establish that a final agreement has been reached.