Minority governments are not uncommon in Scandinavia – but what is new is that such a constellation in Sweden would depend on the support of right-wing populists.
(Photo: IMAGO/TT)
Stockholm About five weeks after Sweden’s parliamentary elections, conservative Ulf Christerson was elected prime minister. The 58-year-old received much-needed support from the Reichstag in Stockholm on Monday, also thanks to votes from the right-wing Swedish Democrats. 176 of the 349 deputies voted for Christerson to 173 against.
The leader of the Conservative “Moderates” party takes the prime minister from the Social Democrats, Magdalena Anderson. Already on Tuesday he will make a government statement and present his government. After that the change of government is completed by King Karl XVI. Gustav
A bloc of four conservative right-wing parties around the moderates and the very powerful Sweden Democrats won 176 of the 349 seats in the Reichstag in the September 11 parliamentary elections. The left-wing camp around the Social Democrats led by Anderson lost the majority of 173 seats. Andersen has led Sweden with a minority government since November, just like its Social Democrat predecessor Stefan Lofven in the past seven years.
Christerson would also rely on a minority government. He wants to rule through a three-party coalition made up of moderates, Christian Democrats and liberals, and works closely with Sweden’s Democrats in parliament. Without the right-wing populists, who achieved record results in elections and came second in power for the first time, the new ruling coalition would not be able to secure its majority.
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Minority governments are not uncommon in Scandinavia – Denmark and Norway are currently governed in this way. What is new, however, is that right-wing Swedish populists would actively participate as a supportive party in such a constellation. Their location also gives them significant influence in immigration policy.
more: Fewer immigrants, more nuclear power – the new Swedish government swings to the right
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