Sweden's far-right party gives up on cabinet posts amid post-election gridlock

The far-right Sweden Democrats party, ​an ally of the right-wing ​caretaker government, said on Friday ‌it ​was dropping demands for ministerial posts, potentially boosting Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's chances to remain in power. Kristersson's ‌bloc lost its majority in a September election but was tasked this week by Sweden's parliament speaker with exploring a government formation as the centre-left ‌election winners failed to agree on a coalition.

Sweden's Centre Party, which ‌could hold the key to deciding whether the Nordic country gets a right-wing or a left-wing government, has ruled out supporting a cabinet that includes the Sweden Democrats, as ⁠well as ​one that ⁠includes the Left Party. Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson said on Friday that, as a result ⁠of the election outcome, his party will remain outside of government in the ​next four years, and is prepared to "tolerate" the formation of ⁠a centre-right cabinet.

Still, the Centre Party has said it favours Social Democrats leader Magdalena ⁠Andersson ​as prime minister, and there is no indication so far that the Centre Party will back a Kristersson government. The Centre Party did not ⁠have an immediate comment.

Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlen is widely expected to ⁠give the mandate back ⁠to Andersson should Kristersson fail to gain a majority. If no solution is found, Sweden could face a new ‌election.