Sweden's centre-left leader Andersson tasked with forming government after election

Sweden's parliament speaker said Friday that following post-election consultations with party leaders he had tasked opposition chief Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats with forming a government.

Andersson, who served as Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, now faces an uphill battle to unite a left-wing bloc fractured by ideological differences.

"It is a task I take on with great humility, and I will act constructively to form a new administration," Andersson, 59, said in a statement posted to Instagram.

"I want to lead a government that realises the new direction that the Swedish people have voted for – a direction that moves Sweden forward and keeps our country united."

Andersson is expected to try to build a government with the three other parties on the left wing, the socialist Left, the liberal Centre and the Greens.

The Centre Party has said it will oppose a government that includes cabinet posts for the Left Party, which has insisted it will only support a left-wing government that it is a member of.

After Sunday's general election, the four left-wing parties hold a three-seat majority in the 349-seat parliament over outgoing prime minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance, which includes the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.

Norlen said Andersson would have to report back on her progress on September 28, when the new parliament convenes for the first time and elects a new speaker.

If Andersson were to fail to form a government, Kristersson would be waiting to try to build his own majority.

After the 2022 election, it took 37 days to form a government and in 2018, 134 days.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)