Sweden’s centre-right begins complicated coalition talks

Sweden’s centre-right leader Ulf Kristersson has said coalition talks to form a new government have got off to a constructive start.

Mr Kristersson, leader of the centre-right Moderates, was handed the mandate for political negotiations after his conservative-liberal bloc won Sweden’s general election. He is likely to form a minority government with smaller allied parties, but will need to draw on opposition political support, most likely from the far-right Swedish Democrats (SD).

The SD was the biggest winnner of the election, securing support of one in five voters to become the country’s second largest party.

A week after the election, parliament president Andreas Norlén received political leaders, though not the Social Democratic Party head and outgoing prime minister Magdalena Andersson. After her centre-left bloc finished three seats behind in the election, she remains on now only in a caretaker capacity. How long she will serve depends on how simple – or complicated – the upcoming coalition talks prove to be.

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That in turn depends largely on Jimmie Åkesson, the populist SD leader, who insists he will drive a hard bargain in exchange for his party’s support. At a post-talks press conference, Mr Åkesson vowed to “break the hundred years of Social Democratic hegemony in Sweden”.

“It is important for us that this turns out right,” he said. “For the SD this is something long-term.”

While Mr Åkesson insists his party wants to join the government, opposition from other centre-right parties means a formal coalition pact is unlikely.

Instead the party will focus in talks – and in opposition – on putting its stamp on future immigration and asylum policy after an election dominated by law-and-order concerns. While all right-of-centre parties have common ground on tackling growing gang violence, meeting SD demands for a “net zero” asylum policy will prove more difficult.

Another area of likely tension will be welfare policy: while the Moderates and its allies are seeking cuts to dole payments, the SD are opposed.

Another key factor in coalition talks will be who oversees them, and next Monday sees the election of a new Riskdsag (Swedish parliament) president. Outgoing president Andreas Norlén has signalled he is happy to stay on for another term . As his Moderates finished in third place, however, he may have to clear his office for an SD candidate.

After initial talks, centre-right parties have promised clarity on the next parliamentary president by the weekend.

The new president will oversee Mr Kristersson’s confirmation as prime minister when coalition talks conclude. In 2018 it took four months for a new government to be sworn in. Though there is no time limit on post-election negotiations, Mr Kristersson has promised to conclude talks quicker than last time around.

Concentrating minds are Stockholm’s live Nato membership application and the spiralling cost-of-living crisis. With inflation at 9 per cent, its highest level since 1991, Sweden’s central bank raised interest rates on Monday by 1 per cent, its biggest single rise in three decades.

A week after its general election, the clock is already ticking on Swedish coalition talks: after Christmas Sweden assumes the EU’s rotating six-month presidency.