Nhan Dan Online/VNA – Swedish Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven faces a tough task building a new government after an election on September 14 left the center-left short of a majority in parliament and handed the balance of power to a party that wants to slash immigration.
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and his center-right coalition government, in power for eight years, will hand in their resignation on September 15 after garnering fewer seats in parliament than the center-left opposition.
The far right anti-immigration Sweden Democrats emerged as the third biggest party, winning 12.9 percent of the vote. Despite holding the balance of power, other parties have refused to work with them.
The center-left Social Democrat, Green and Left opposition – not currently a formal bloc – took 158 seats in parliament, short of the 175 needed for a majority.
A minority left-of-center government with an anti-immigration party that usually votes with the right-leaning parties holding the balance of power would be a unique parliamentary situation in Sweden. It is likely to have limited clout to pass bills and could even result in political deadlock.
Lofven hopes to entice members of the outgoing four-party center-right Alliance to co-operate with him. They have so far ruled out such a move but that may change in the face of the strong performance by the Sweden Democrats.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
