Social Democrat prime minister Stefan Lofven pledged on Sunday evening to remain prime minister of Sweden, with the general elections giving his centre-left bloc 144 seats in the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag – one more mandate than the centre-right opposition alliance’s 143 seats. The result is however so tight, with just some 30,000 votes separating the two blocs, that it may take until Wednesday (12 September) when the last votes cast by Swedes abroad have been counted and the result finally checked before the final result is known. The Social Democrats remained the biggest party with 28.4 percent of the votes, according to figures released on Monday morning. It gives the party 101 seats in the parliament, a record low result. The party had 113 seats after the 2014 elections.
The bad outcome for Lofven’s party prompted the leader of the centre-right alliance, conservative Ulf Kristersson, to call for Lofven’s resignation.
Kristersson’s own Moderate party will have 70 seats in the new parliament, based on 19.8 percent of the votes.
He is backed as candidate for the premiership by the Centre party (8.6 percent), the Liberals (5.5 percent) and the Christian Democrats (6.4 percent). All together Kristersson’s centre-right coalition will have 143 seats.
Full Article: Overseas votes could swing Sweden election result.
