Kristersson seeks dismissal after opposition gains majority

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has asked Sweden’s parliamentary speaker to relieve him of his post after the opposition secured a three-seat majority, SVT reports.

“It is entirely natural that there is a parliamentary majority that does not want the blue-and-yellow government we campaigned for,” Kristersson told TV4 after Thursday’s announcement.

With the votes counted, the opposition holds the advantage in parliament. Kristersson has handed responsibility for the next stage to the speaker.

“It is a complicated situation, but since there is no majority for my government, at least not at the moment, I am doing what one should do,” he said.

The prime minister and other cabinet ministers will be relieved of their posts but will continue in their roles until a new government takes office.

Kristersson rejected the suggestion that Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson should be considered the winner of the election.

“I absolutely would not say that. It is clear that if you add the Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Greens and the Centre Party, they are mathematically a few seats larger. But it remains to be seen whether they can agree to form a joint government,” he said.

Asked who had won, Kristersson said the outcome was “very unclear”.

“If all the red lines that existed before election day remain, Sweden will never get a government,” he said.

Kristersson said he had told the speaker that he considered it natural to step aside when the election result showed that his side was short of a majority. The other side must now determine whether it can form a joint government, he said.