Sweden's Centre Party won't back budget as government heads toward first crisis

The leader of Sweden's Centre party said the party would not vote 'yes' to the minority government's budget in a vote in parliament later on Wednesday, meaning an opposition finance bill is likely to pass. Party leader Annie Loof also said her party would not block Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson from becoming new prime minister in a confirmation vote on Wednesday.

The leader of Sweden's Centre party said the party would not vote 'yes' to the minority government's budget in a vote in parliament later on Wednesday, meaning an opposition finance bill is likely to pass.

Party leader Annie Loof also said her party would not block Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson from becoming new prime minister in a confirmation vote on Wednesday. The Centre Party prefers Andersson to a right-wing government which would need the support of the Sweden Democrats, a populist, anti-immigration party, to take power.

"We will not give the Sweden Democrats governmental power," Annie Loof told reporters at a news conference. She said the Centre Party could not support the budget as a deal between the ruling minority coalition and the Left Party, agreed to secure support for Andersson in the prime minister vote, had "drawn the government further to the left".

Three opposition parties have put forward a common budget which is likely to win parliament's approval. The decision by the Centre Party throws Swedish politics into confusion. Andersson is likely to become the country's first woman prime minister later on Wednesday, but will face the choice of governing on right-of-centre budget policies, at least until spring, when the government has a chance to rework policy in a fresh budget bill.

Stefan Lofven, the outgoing prime minister, accepted such a position in 2014, but said he would not do so again before he unexpectedly announced plans to resign earlier this year. Andersson - assuming she is confirmed as prime minister on Wednesday morning - has not said if she would resign or soldier on, if the opposition's finance bill passes.

 

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