Persson urges Andersson to show humility in coalition talks

Former Social Democratic leader Göran Persson has urged his party to listen carefully to its potential coalition partners in government talks, SVT reports.

Speaking outside the Social Democrats’ party headquarters on Sveavägen in Stockholm, Persson said it was more important for negotiations with the Left Party, Centre Party and Green Party to be conducted properly than to conclude them quickly.

“A negotiation like this is probably based on everyone contributing in some way. Not least the person leading the negotiations, Magdalena Andersson,” Persson told SVT.

He advised Andersson to approach the other parties with humility. Persson said he had been in contact with Andersson before the election, but not since election day on Sunday.

Persson also said he understood the disappointment among Social Democrats over the election result, but questioned calls for the party secretary to resign as an initial response.

The Social Democrats’ result in the parliamentary election was among the party’s worst ever. Persson said, however, that the more significant aspect was that the government appeared to have been voted out. He said this was unusual in Swedish politics and last happened, to his knowledge, in 1994.