Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
SWEDEN’S PRIME MINISTER-elect Magdalena Andersson has tendered her resignation just hours after her appointment by parliament, after her budget failed to pass and the Greens Party left the coalition government.
“There is a constitutional practice that a coalition government should resign when one party quits,” Andersson, a Social Democrat, told reporters.
“I don’t want to lead a government whose legitimacy will be questioned,” adding that she hoped to be elected to the position anew at a later date.
Andersson said she hoped to be elected to the position again soon as the head of a minority government made up of only the Social Democrats.
In a turbulent sequence of events, Andersson became the first woman elected to the post of prime minister in Sweden after clinching a last-minute deal with the Left Party to raise pensions in exchange for its backing in Wednesday’s vote.
But the small Centre Party then withdrew its support for Andersson’s budget, due to the concessions made to the Left, leaving her budget with insufficient votes to pass in parliament.
Parliament instead adopted an alternative budget presented by the opposition conservative Moderates, Christian Democrats and far-right Sweden Democrats.
The fatal blow came when Greens leader Per Bolund said his party could not tolerate the opposition’s “historic budget, drafted for the first time with the far-right”, and quit the government.
Among other things, it said the opposition’s planned tax cut on petrol would lead to higher emissions.
Speaker of parliament Andreas Norlen said he had accepted Andersson’s resignation and would contact party leaders before deciding Thursday how to proceed.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Here in Ireland two bitter political rivals merged just to keep other parties away from the top table. There would be no fear of any of ours resigning over principles.
@David Corrigan: to be fair .. Sinn Fein had the chance to form a government with another party and didn’t / couldn’t..
@Ciaran: Can you explain that in detail please Ciaran?
@David Corrigan: Sinn Fein chose not to form a govt with other parties. They opted to do what the do best…. sit on the fence !
@Marcus Mc Cann: where were the numbers for them to form a government
@David Corrigan: Perhaps you could explain in detail how there is any difference at all between FF/FG in the post WW2 era?
As far as I can tell it’s just branding and has been for a very long time now. I can understand why someone who was born in the 20′s might still harbour actual bitterness but everyone else needs to get a grip.
@Ciaran: How only have 34 seats you need 81 for a majority needed all the left, greens and yes one of the clowns to back them It was never going to happen.
@Brian Madden: Correct. They were 47 seats short so had to form a coalition which no way was going to happen because FF or FG never sat down with them.
@John Considine: There is no difference between the two parties. Why do you want me to explain that when we both agree on it?
@Marcus Mc Cann: they didn’t though. FF and FG boxed them out.
@David Corrigan: “Can you explain that in detail” and “can you provide evidence of that”…. The experts are here to forensically analyse everyone’s posts…. thejournal comment section.
@David Corrigan: FF and FG had 70 between them, short of a majority. SF could have made a government without either but wouldn’t sit down with most of them.
@Marcus Mc Cann: greens did and look where its left them… Pawns to the larger parties and selling their souls.. Will be obliterated in the next election
@Aidan O’ Neill: which is the mandate they were given by their voters. People are entitled to decide not to support SF. That is how democracy works.
@David Corrigan: = democracy
@Anto Curran: SF refused point blank to speak to most political parties? Are you sure about that?
@sean mcnamara: That’s not how democracy works here ——If you continue to make statements like that you could be kneecapped!
The next two weeks will be critical.
In Swedish politics.
@LiamMac2018: The Next Two Will be More Critical Here
My son tell me they’re celebrating Thanksgiving in his school tomorrow. Is this being done in all schools now? If so; when did this happen?
@Vonvonic: ah sure why not. We love importing american customs, halloween for example is a great one.
@Derek Moran: Halloween is an Irish custom
@Derek Moran: think you’ve got that a bit confused
@Derek Moran: Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland,
@Sean Treacy: In fairness, the modern incarnation is pure American.
@Vonvonic: the only American bit is the amount of plastic and sugar. The playing of tricks, the dressing up to evade spirits, the carving of lanterns and the gifting of treats are all recorded in Ireland for hundreds of years
@Vonvonic: Really!? Unless it’s a cultural awareness thing about colonising other lands I cannot imagine why Thanksgiving has any place in an Irish school.
Weird!
@Derek Moran: Darby O’Gill & the Little People, Fairytale of New York and Sean O’Wayne and Maureen Ni hEadhra in that old classic The Quiet Man, are among other cultural imports.
Magdalena Anderson’s decision is based on a constitutional practice that says a prime minister should resign if a party leaves the governing coalition.
have your say