Center Party divided as it prepares to choose which government to support

Sweden’s Center Party is split over which government to support, SVT political reporter Erik Nilsson said as the party prepares to announce its next step in the coming days.

The party has received what SVT calls “total packages” from both the Social Democrats and the Moderates. On Sunday, its party board and parliamentary group held meetings about forming a government, according to information obtained by SVT.

Some in the party want to move to the right, while others want to remain on the side of current prime ministerial candidate Magdalena Andersson, Nilsson said. Many Center Party members dream of forming a government with the former Alliance parties: the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals.

Such a government could allow the Center Party to advance more of its own policies, but could also trigger an internal debate over whether the party had betrayed its principles. Party sources told Nilsson many members fear a shift to the right would deepen divisions, prompt defections and reduce voter support.

The Center Party has been defined in large part by its opposition to the political extremes and campaigned on keeping the Sweden Democrats out of influence. “If she manages to secure a shift to the right, she is playing a high-stakes game,” Nilsson said.

The party is expected to announce its next step in the coming days.