Centre Party faces internal split over government options

Several people in Sweden’s Centre Party warn of an internal split as it weighs its options for forming a government, SVT reports. Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist has received proposals from the Social Democrats and the Moderates.

The party is expected to hold a series of internal meetings over the weekend. “We will now examine the proposals carefully through our internal decision-making processes. Our focus is on ensuring Sweden gets an effective government that can take responsibility, carry out important reforms and limit the influence of the political extremes,” Thand Ringqvist told SVT.

Several party members say a Social Democrat-led government without Left Party ministers has the strongest support within the Centre Party and would be the least controversial option. Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson is also pursuing that arrangement, but the Left Party continues to demand ministerial posts.

Allowing the Left Party into government is virtually ruled out for a large part of the Centre Party, according to several sources. “It would be disastrous to let the Left Party into government,” one source said.

The next most likely option, according to several sources, is a government formed by the former Alliance parties: the Moderates, Centre Party, Christian Democrats and Liberals. Such a government could be backed by, and potentially cooperate with, the Sweden Democrats.

Some people in the party believe Thand Ringqvist and her close circle want to pursue that option. Others say she has not committed to any particular arrangement. Several Centre Party members fear a rightward shift could prompt accusations of betrayal, given the party’s longstanding opposition to the Sweden Democrats. They warn that it could lead to resignations, a loss of voter support and an internal split.

SVT reports that several Centre Party district organisations have shown strong opposition to a right-leaning arrangement. “People will be angry,” one source said.