Centre Party says antisemitism remains a major problem for Left Party

The Centre Party says concerns about antisemitism within the Left Party remain a major obstacle to cooperation, SVT reported after representatives of the two parties met on Wednesday’s Aktuellt programme.

Martin Ådahl, the Centre Party’s economic policy spokesperson, said his party would not accept the Left Party’s demand to join a government and receive ministerial posts. He also pointed to differences over economic policy and said the Left Party had continued to have problems with antisemitism and fundamental democratic issues until recently.

The Left Party has sought talks with the Centre Party about forming a red-green government, but the Centre Party has rejected its overtures. Ida Gabrielsson, the Left Party’s deputy leader, said she was ready to meet Ådahl and that her party was willing to compromise in negotiations.

Gabrielsson said the Centre Party was calling the demand an ultimatum while refusing talks despite not having enough votes on its own.

SVT political commentator Elisabeth Marmorstein said the Social Democrats were not currently keen to govern with the Left Party. She said the Centre Party was relying on the Social Democrats to keep that option closed.

But if the Left Party maintains its demand for ministerial posts after several votes for prime minister, Marmorstein said the Social Democrats could face a choice between a snap election and allowing Left Party ministers into government. She said she believed the party would choose the latter, because it wanted to avoid an early election.