Sweden election: PM Ulf Kristersson resigns after Opposition secures narrow majority

Sweden`s PM Ulf Kristersson announced his resignation as head of government in a letter to the parliament’s speaker. PIC/X

Sweden's left-leaning opposition secured a narrow majority in the national election, winning 176 of the 349 seats in parliament, while the outgoing conservative-led bloc took 173 seats, according to the final count announced on Thursday.

The result prompted centre-right Prime Minister (PM) Ulf Kristersson to announce his resignation as head of government in a letter to the parliament's speaker posted on X.

Former PM Magdalena Andersson's centre-left Social Democrats emerged as the largest single party with 99 seats, despite losing eight seats compared with the 2022 election. Andersson now faces the task of navigating differences within the opposition bloc as she seeks to form a government.

"The Swedish people have voted for a new direction for our country. Voted for unity and against division. The Swedish people have voted to move Sweden forward, and I want to realise the new direction that you have voted for," Andersson said in a speech posted on social media.

The opposition's narrow lead was confirmed after late-arriving ballots, including overseas votes, were counted. The Swedish Election Authority said the four opposition parties won 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, Sweden's parliament.

Kristersson had led Sweden since 2022 with a three-party, centre-right coalition whose parliamentary majority relied on outside support from the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party with far-right roots that has moved towards the political mainstream.

Andersson faces hurdles in forming government after narrow election win

Kristersson had held out the prospect of Cabinet seats for the Sweden Democrats if the governing coalition won. However, the party dropped to third place behind Kristersson's Moderates, winning 62 seats, 11 fewer than in the previous election.

Andersson faces differences within the opposition bloc as she seeks to form a government. The Centre Party, which aligned with the left because it does not wish to govern with the Sweden Democrats, also does not want to enter government with the Left Party at the other end of the political spectrum.

Any combinations crossing Sweden's traditional right-left divide would also present challenges.

The final result sets the stage for a change of government, although the process of forming a new administration could be complicated by differences among the opposition parties.

(With AP and AFP inputs)