Kristersson resigns as Prime Minister

Ulf Kristersson (M) is stepping down from his position as Sweden’s Prime Minister following the finalized election results. On Thursday, he requested to be relieved of his duties, thereby handing over the next step in the process to Speaker Andreas Norlén.

The announcement came shortly after the last votes were counted. The preliminary results show the opposition securing 176 seats in the Riksdag, while the Tidö parties—Moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats, and Liberals—have 173 seats. The red-green bloc won by 50,359 votes.

Kristersson writes in his statement that the election result means the upcoming government formation could be complicated, and that openness from the parties in Parliament is now required to find a solution.

“Now it is the Speaker who will lead the coming steps toward forming a new government. To allow that work to begin immediately, I hereby request to be relieved as Prime Minister,” Kristersson writes in the letter, which can be read below.

When the Prime Minister requests to be relieved, the Speaker takes on a central role in finding a new government formation. Kristersson and the other ministers will continue in their posts until a new government is in place.

This sets the stage for a period of negotiations, where the parties in Parliament must try to find a government alternative that can be tolerated by the Riksdag.

The seat allocation gives the opposition an advantage, but the path to a new government is far from straightforward. The Social Democrats, Left Party, Green Party, and Center Party together have 176 seats, compared with 173 for the Tidö parties.

At the same time, there are clear differences within the opposition. The Left Party and Center Party are far apart on several issues, and the Left Party has demanded to participate in the next government.

For Ulf Kristersson, the announcement marks the end of his time as Prime Minister, but it does not mean that the government immediately leaves office. The Prime Minister and other ministers will stay on until a new government has taken office.

The Social Democrats celebrate with cake

The mood was jubilant at the Social Democrats’ headquarters on Sveavägen when the news broke that Ulf Kristersson was stepping down as Prime Minister.

According to Aftonbladet’s reporter on site, cheers could be heard from the building, while SVT News reported that cakes and bags of chips were being brought into the party headquarters.

Share your thoughts!

What will you remember most from Kristersson’s time as Prime Minister? Share your thoughts in the comments section!