Sweden begins government formation talks as Speaker meets party representatives
Euro Times – Stockholm
Sweden enters a new phase in the government formation process on Friday, September 18, as Speaker of the Riksdag Andreas Norlén begins formal individual consultations with representatives of the parliamentary parties to identify a candidate who could later be proposed as prime minister.
The consultations follow Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s resignation on Thursday, formally transferring the government formation process to the Speaker under Sweden’s constitutional rules.
Social Democrats open the consultations
According to the official schedule published by the Swedish Parliament, the meetings begin at 10:00 with representatives of the Social Democrats, followed by the Sweden Democrats at 10:35, the Left Party at 11:10 and the Centre Party at 11:45.
The consultations continue in the afternoon with the Christian Democrats at 12:50, the Green Party at 13:25 and the Liberals at 14:00. Norlén will not hold another separate meeting with the Moderates, as he met Kristersson in connection with the prime minister’s resignation.
Press conference after the consultations
After the party meetings, Norlén will consult the Deputy Speakers on the next step. Parliament has said a press conference with the Speaker is provisionally planned for no earlier than 15:30 on Friday.
Friday’s consultations do not mean a new prime minister will be elected immediately. The newly elected Riksdag convenes on September 28, while a proposal for prime minister can be put to a parliamentary vote no earlier than September 29.
The process follows an election result giving S, V, MP and C a combined 176 seats, compared with 173 for M, SD, KD and L. Differences between the Centre Party and the Left Party remain one of the key obstacles to establishing a parliamentary basis for a new government.
Norlén’s comments after Friday’s meetings are expected to provide the first official indication of the next stage in the government formation process.
