Andersson expects to lose Swedish prime minister vote

Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson expects to lose Thursday’s parliamentary vote on her bid to become prime minister, she told SVT’s Morgonstudion.

“I will not have enough support,” Andersson said. She said the deadlock between the Left Party and the Centre Party meant she would not be tolerated by parliament, and that asking for more time would serve no purpose.

Andersson said she believed the Speaker of the Riksdag should now give another party leader the task of exploring possible government options. She named Ulf Kristersson, leader of Sweden’s second-largest party, as a reasonable choice.

She said four parties that had previously been in opposition had secured a majority in all parliamentary committees and could form a cooperation around a new government. Andersson also said the EU’s trade agreement with Israel had been paused and that talks had taken place at several levels.