Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced that she would resign after the right-block in the nation gained a wafer thin majority. On Wednesday, Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson said that he would begin proceedings to form a new government after she conceded that her party, the center-left Social Democrats gained less votes, when compared with the right-bloc coalition of the Moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats and the Liberals.
Although it was a narrow loss, Anderrson conceded before the final tally that is expected by the weekend, as about 99 percent of the votes have already been counted. The center-left bloc got 173 seats while the right bloc got 176 seats, as of now. The Moderate Party leader is expected to lead in government formation. His group consists of far-right wing party called the Sweden Democrats, who fought on a plank of rising gang shootings.
The Sweden Democrats are a party that came into existence in the end of the nineteen eighties from a neo-Nazi movement. They have attempted to polish their image in the recent years and seem to have succeeded as they have broadened their base to include 18-21 year olds according to an exit survey by Swedish Public Service broadcaster SVT.
Earlier the Moderates had refused to cooperate with the Sweden Democrats but in 2019, party leader Kristersson began talks and in three years, the political landscape of Sweden had changed. It is not clear, as yet, if he will involve the Sweden Democrats and ask them to be a part of a coalition government or will formally cooperate with them. He has already been in talks with the other parties in the bloc.
The Social Democrats have dominated the political landscape of Sweden since the nineteen thirties. They have governed the European country since 2014. Sunday’s vote has been the one of the closest one ever, in the history of the nation.
The new head of the Swedish government will be most probably be elected on September 27, at the earliest, as the parliament is expected to reopen on that day.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, an epitome of elegance, and a sense of humour, dies at Balmoral Castle, Scotland
