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Swedish Parliament to Vote on New Prime Minister Amid Coalition Deadlock

13 October 2026 at 13:06

Parliamentary Speaker will nominate Magdalena Andersson to lead a single-party Social Democratic government.

On Tuesday, the Swedish parliament is set to vote on Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson’s nomination as prime minister (PM), parliamentary speaker Andreas Norlen announced. Negotiations to form a new government have been deadlocked since last month’s general election.

Norlen said that he would nominate Andersson to lead a single-party Social Democratic government, despite the lack of an agreement among the four parties that together secured a narrow parliamentary majority in the election.

Earlier Tuesday, Andersson told journalists after meeting Norlen that although progress had been made in coalition negotiations, conditions were still not in place to form a government capable of securing sufficient parliamentary support.

She said she was ready for a parliamentary vote on her nomination as PM, which would concern a government consisting solely of the Social Democratic Party, as no agreement had been reached with other parties.

However, the Left Party and the Green Party, two potential parliamentary allies of the Social Democratic Party, both said they would vote against a single-party Social Democratic government. Green Party co-leader Amanda Lind reiterated her preference for a majority government involving all four parties.

🔴 Andersson fails again to form Swedish government; vote scheduled for Thursday

Social Democratic party leader Magdalena Andersson told parliament on Tuesday she could not unite her centre-left bloc into a governing coalition. "My overall assessment is that progress has been… pic.twitter.com/Kiuo3uBNR7
— NewsTongue (@NewsTongueX) October 13, 2026

According to SVT, coalition talks have been hampered mainly by disagreements between the Center Party and the Left Party. The latter insisted on joining the government and securing cabinet posts, while the Center Party refuses to serve in a government alongside the Left Party.

The Social Democratic Party, Left Party, Green Party and Center Party together won 176 seats in the 349-member parliament in September’s election, giving them a narrow majority but leaving them divided over the composition of a new government.

Andersson was first tasked with exploring the formation of a new government on Sept. 18, after outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson requested to be relieved of his duties following the election. However, Andersson returned the mandate on Sept. 28 after the Left Party backed the Moderate Party’s candidate rather than her Social Democratic Party’s candidate in the parliamentary speaker election.

Norlen reassigned Andersson the task on Oct. 2, but negotiations remained inconclusive, prompting her to request a one-day extension before reporting back on Tuesday.

Under Sweden’s system of negative parliamentarism, a PM candidate may assume office unless at least 175 of the 349 lawmakers vote against the nomination. If the candidate is rejected, the speaker must then put forward another proposal.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

Zelenskyy says Russia ‘did not heed’ Trump’s call for ceasefire and Ukraine had ‘no early warning’ before strikes on Kyiv – as it happened

The Guardian - Europe

By: Jakub Krupa (now) and Yohannes Lowe (earlier)

13 October 2026 at 16:54

Ukraine’s president says his country has halted strikes on Russian oil refineries for two days after Trump’s energy ceasefire announcement

On frozen Russian assets, Poland’s Sikorski says the use of frozen Russian assets is “a complicated issue,” but takes a very clear stance in response to any suggestion of releasing them back to Russia.

“We are working on it, but there is also some rumours that some people are expecting these assets to be released back to Russia.

I don’t think I’m speaking just for myself in saying: over our dead bodies.”

“Russia right now is not ready for ceasefire, but still, this only can encourage us to stay with Ukraine and to, strengthen, the pressure on Russia and always be ready for conversations, but and also especially for, for ceasefire negotiations.

But, until this doesn’t happen, we are with Ukraine. We are with the president the German government is is backing the Ukrainian government and the president, completely. He is the person to lead Ukraine, and we are with him.”