Sweden PM Ulf Kristersson Resigns After Election Defeat

 Sweden’s Kristersson resigns after election defeat

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson speaks at Almedalen in 2018. FILE PHOTO. 

STOCKHOLM — September 17, 2026

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has resigned after his governing bloc lost Sunday’s parliamentary election to an opposition group led by the Social Democrats and Magdalena Andersson.

Kristersson submitted his resignation to the speaker of parliament on Thursday after the election count was completed. The opposition group won 176 of the Riksdag’s 349 seats, while the bloc supporting Kristersson secured 173 seats.

The result opens the way for Andersson to try to form a new government. She previously served as Sweden’s first woman prime minister, taking office in 2021.

Andersson said Sweden would enter a new political period after four years under a government that had placed strong emphasis on immigration and crime. She said voters had chosen a new direction for the country.

Forming a government could take time because the parties supporting Andersson do not have a straightforward coalition agreement. The Centre Party has said it will not join a government that includes the Left Party, while the Greens are also being considered as part of a possible centre-left administration.

The Social Democrats have begun discussions with other opposition parties as they seek enough parliamentary support for Andersson to become prime minister again.

Kristersson's government will remain in office in a caretaker role until a new government is formed. Under Sweden's system, a caretaker government can handle ongoing and urgent matters but cannot call an extraordinary election. The earliest opportunity for parliament to elect a new prime minister is expected after the opening of the new Riksdag session on September 29.

The election had pitted Andersson's opposition alliance against Kristersson's centre-right bloc, which had relied on cooperation with the Sweden Democrats. The Sweden Democrats lost some of their electoral support compared with the previous election, contributing to the opposition's narrow parliamentary advantage.

Sweden's Election Authority said the latest preliminary count put the Social Democrats on 99 seats, the Moderates on 70 and the Sweden Democrats on 62. The final distribution of seats is established after the complete vote count and verification process.

The change in government now depends on whether Andersson can secure sufficient parliamentary backing. If parliament rejects four candidates for prime minister, another election would be required under Sweden's parliamentary rules.