Sweden Faces Coalition Talks After Narrow Election Result

2026, September 18

Sweden

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has resigned after the centre-left opposition won a narrow majority in the country's parliamentary election. The opposition bloc secured 176 seats, compared with 173 for the governing centre-right bloc, leaving Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson to begin negotiations on forming a government.

The result creates a period of coalition negotiations because the winning parties differ on several important issues, including taxation, nuclear energy and the structure of the next government. The Sweden Democrats, who had supported the previous governing bloc, also lost ground compared with their previous election performance.