Swedish parliament prepares to vote on prime minister
Sweden's parliament will vote on the position of prime minister on Tuesday, with the centre-right Alliance – currently in opposition – hoping to unseat the current PM, Stefan Löfven.
"When it comes to the question of the vote for prime minister, I decided together with the parliamentary group leaders today that it will happen tomorrow at 9.30," said Andreas Norlén, the newly chosen parliamentary speaker.
Löfven would need a majority of parliamentarians to not vote against him in order to stay in his role as leader, something which seems unlikely with both the Alliance and far-right Sweden Democrats – who make up the third largest group in parliament – having pledged to vote against the Social Democrat prime minister before the general election. However, he has chosen not to step down in advance of the vote.
If Löfven loses the confidence vote, Norlén said in the same press conference that it could take several days before a second vote could be held. In that case, it would likely be up to Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson to try to form an Alliance government.
Parliament reconvened on Monday to begin the process of forming a new government, which began with the election of the new speaker. Norlén, the candidate put forward by the Alliance, won the vote thanks to backing from the Sweden Democrats, while the Social Democrats' candidate Åsa Lindestam was named deputy first speaker.
Lawmakers also voted on the position of second deputy speaker, with Left Party candidate Lotta Johnsson Fornarve voted in ahead of Sweden Democrat Björn Söder, who was the incumbent in the position. It was the first time the Left Party had a candidate in one of the speaker posts since the four-year mandate beginning in 1998.
By Monday evening, the vote for third deputy speaker was underway, with Söder running against the Centre Party's Kerstin Lundgren.
On Tuesday, the king will be present for the official re-opening of parliament.
Want to know more? Find all The Local's Swedish election coverage HERE
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"When it comes to the question of the vote for prime minister, I decided together with the parliamentary group leaders today that it will happen tomorrow at 9.30," said Andreas Norlén, the newly chosen parliamentary speaker.
Löfven would need a majority of parliamentarians to not vote against him in order to stay in his role as leader, something which seems unlikely with both the Alliance and far-right Sweden Democrats – who make up the third largest group in parliament – having pledged to vote against the Social Democrat prime minister before the general election. However, he has chosen not to step down in advance of the vote.
If Löfven loses the confidence vote, Norlén said in the same press conference that it could take several days before a second vote could be held. In that case, it would likely be up to Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson to try to form an Alliance government.
Parliament reconvened on Monday to begin the process of forming a new government, which began with the election of the new speaker. Norlén, the candidate put forward by the Alliance, won the vote thanks to backing from the Sweden Democrats, while the Social Democrats' candidate Åsa Lindestam was named deputy first speaker.
Lawmakers also voted on the position of second deputy speaker, with Left Party candidate Lotta Johnsson Fornarve voted in ahead of Sweden Democrat Björn Söder, who was the incumbent in the position. It was the first time the Left Party had a candidate in one of the speaker posts since the four-year mandate beginning in 1998.
By Monday evening, the vote for third deputy speaker was underway, with Söder running against the Centre Party's Kerstin Lundgren.
On Tuesday, the king will be present for the official re-opening of parliament.
Want to know more? Find all The Local's Swedish election coverage HERE
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