Sweden opposition wins slim majority after final count, PM Kristersson to quit

Sweden's left-leaning opposition secured a three-seat majority after the final count. The slim result has triggered Kristersson's resignation and complicated coalition talks.Stock photo used for illustrationSweden's left-leaning opposition has won a narrow majority in the country's national election after the complete vote count, according to the Swedish Election Authority. The four opposition parties won 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, while the four parties that make up or support the outgoing conservative-led government secured 173 seats.Shortly after the final results were announced on Thursday, centre-right Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he would resign as head of government in a letter to parliament's speaker posted on X. Former prime minister Magdalena Andersson's centre-left Social Democrats emerged as the single largest party with 99 seats, though they lost eight seats compared with the last election in 2022.The opposition's small lead had initially remained uncertain, but it was confirmed after early votes that did not reach polling stations by Election Day, including overseas ballots, were counted. The election was held on Sunday.Kristersson has led Sweden through a three-party centre-right coalition whose parliamentary majority depended on outside support from the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party with far-right roots that has moved towards the political mainstream. Kristersson had indicated that the Sweden Democrats could get Cabinet seats this time if the governing coalition won. But the election was a setback for the party, which slipped to third place behind the outgoing prime minister's Moderates and won 62 seats, 11 fewer than four years ago. Andersson will now face a difficult task in trying to turn the result into a government because of tensions within the left-leaning bloc. The Centre Party, which aligned with the left because it does not want to govern with the Sweden Democrats, also does not want to enter a government with the Left Party at the other end of the spectrum. Any combination cutting across the traditional right-left divide would also be complicated. Overall, the final count gave Sweden's left-leaning opposition a slim parliamentary edge, while also setting up a complex process to form the next government.With PTI Inputs - EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 17, 2026 18:12 IST