Swedish Election Authority says it is ready for snap election

Sweden’s Election Authority is ready to organise a snap election if parliament fails in all four attempts to approve a new prime minister, the authority’s head of office, Anna Nyqvist, told SVT.

One of the four prime ministerial votes has failed, 44 days after the election. The authority is prepared to hold a snap election at any time, Nyqvist said.

A snap election would involve voting only for parliament, unlike the election held in September. It must take place within three months of the speaker’s decision. Organising it in that short period would mean carrying out the same tasks as for a regular election, Nyqvist said.

The authority is also prepared for possible rerun elections in some municipal elections. Such reruns could be ordered if something went wrong in the regular election, while cases are still being considered by the Election Review Board.

SVT political reporter Julia Lindvall said the red-green parties had more to lose from a snap election because they currently hold a majority in parliament.

Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson was first given the task of exploring possible government options. She returned it, later received it again and was then voted down by parliament. Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist was subsequently given the task, but said on Monday that there was no majority for a centrist government.

The speaker is now expected to decide whether to hold another prime ministerial vote, assign a new exploratory task or give Thand Ringqvist more time.