Sweden: Social Democrats fail to form a government

As a quick repeat of events: Sweden is currently attempting to form a government. To form a government, a party (or group of parties) needs 175 votes. A minority government can form if other parties allow it. As mentioned in prior blogs, there are 2 main blocks of parties: the centre-left and the Alliance. There is also the far-right Sweden Democrats. There was already one attempt to form a government via the Alliance. The centre-left was then given the opportunity to form a government.

 Via Politico (Oct 29) we learn this attempt also failed:

Swedish Social Democrat leader Stefan Löfven said Monday he has failed to form a new government, leaving no clear candidate for prime minister nearly two months after an inconclusive election . . . Löfven told reporters that conversations with other party leaders have been constructive, but had not led to anything concrete, according to Dagens Nyheter.

The Express UK (Oct 30) reported:

Parliament speaker Mr Norlén has now invited all four parties - the Social Democrats, Moderates, Sweden Democrats led by Jimmie Åkesson and Centre led by Annie Lööf - for joint talks to look at which alternatives can be explored further or excluded completely.

The Express UK (Oct 31) reported:

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.

New Europe had these tidbits:

The leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson, responded positively to the news that the country was likely headed back to the polls, claiming it would bolster support for his party. 

The current standoff is the longest Sweden has ever had to wait to form a government.

Essentially, Stefan Löfven and his centre-left coalition failed to form a government. The Express UK mentioned that the Parliament speaker would invite the 4 parties that won the most seats in Parliament, which would included the far-right Sweden Democrats. The Express UK later reported that the discussion occurred between the speaker and the two major blocks, which excluded the Sweden Democrats. Either the Express UK didn't have their facts straight or there was pressure put on the speaker to exclude the Sweden Democrats. 

The Sweden Democrats, at least publicly, wants another vote to help increase their vote tally. I wonder if Swedes (tired of this being the longer standoff ever to form a government) might actually switch away from the Sweden Democrats in order to give one of the two major blocks a majority. 

The Social Democrats is also showing some confidence in public when Stefan Löfven declared that his party would only join a coalition if he was made the Prime Minister. 

Both probably have polls that indicate how the next election might go. One or both is faking confidence.   

As of Oct 31st, I did not read anything where the speaker gave another party (the Centre or Green Party) the opportunity to attempt to form a government.