Swedish Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson has proposed a government that would include her party, the Centre Party and the Green Party. The Left Party would not have a direct role in the cabinet, but according to Andersson it should be a close parliamentary partner.
“Over the next week, I will work towards a government made up of the Social Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Green Party, in close cooperation with the Left Party, in order to implement the policies for which the Swedish people voted,” Andersson said at a press conference on Sunday, 8 November.
According to SVT, she has spoken with all three parties, but did not reveal what their responses were. Andersson presented the proposal as an attempt to reconcile the election result with the possibility of forming a functioning government.
Parliamentary majority depends on the Left Party
The four parties have a combined total of 176 seats in the 349-member parliament. The Social Democrats have 99 MPs, the Left Party 30, the Centre Party 25 and the Green Party 22. The proposed formula therefore has a narrow majority of one seat, but it depends on the Left Party’s agreement.
Its participation in government has emerged as the main obstacle to the deal. The party’s deputy leader, Ida Gabrielsson, told SVT that the Left Party would not abandon its decision to be part of the government. She said the party would vote against Andersson as prime minister if a cabinet without any of its ministers were proposed.
Andersson, for her part, believes that the Left Party can influence policy without holding ministerial posts. The options under discussion include taking part in the preparation of bills and having its representatives present in government offices.
Negotiations continue
There is still no final agreement on the composition and programme of the government. Negotiations are due to continue over the next week, and their outcome will depend above all on whether the Left Party will accept supporting a cabinet in which it has no ministers.
An attempt to appoint a prime minister had already been made after the election, but parliament rejected Andersson’s candidacy on 15 October by 248 votes “against” to 99 “for”. The Swedish parliament also rejected the candidacy of Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist on 3 November. After four unsuccessful votes for prime minister during the process, snap elections are held.
Sources: svt.se, dailynorthern.com