C and V remain deadlocked over government talks

Sweden’s Center Party and Left Party remain divided over the formation of a government after separate meetings with the speaker of parliament, SVT reported. Neither party moved closer to a solution on Friday.

“We cannot see ourselves sitting in a government with the Left Party,” Center Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist said.

Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar said her party had made its position clear to Speaker Andreas Norlén.

“The Left Party will only vote for a government in which it is itself represented,” she said.

Dadgostar said Center Party’s position was unreasonable and accused it of trying to silence the Left Party’s voters.

“Our support is not only much greater than the Center Party’s, but these are voters who have rejected the Center Party and the Social Democrats. They have chosen the Left Party to represent them,” Dadgostar said.

She said the Social Democrats, Left Party and Green Party could begin government negotiations without the Center Party if it refused to participate.

“If the Center Party does not want to show up, we have to start somewhere. In that case, it is reasonable to begin government negotiations with the three parties,” Dadgostar said.

After Dadgostar’s meeting, Ringqvist also repeated her position. She said the Center Party had already shifted its stance by becoming open to serving in a government with the Social Democrats and Green Party.

Asked whether the Center Party could consider an organised cooperation with the Left Party, Ringqvist said the issue did not appear to be under discussion.

She said she could not yet describe the Center Party’s preferred government, saying it would be one rooted in the political centre. The exact form would have to be determined step by step based on the election result, she said.