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Sweden’s newly elected parliament formally opened in Stockholm on Tuesday, beginning the 2026-2027 parliamentary year as political parties continued efforts to form a government after the election.
King Carl XVI Gustaf declared the Riksdag open at the request of the speaker during a ceremony attended by members of the royal family, the prime minister and parliamentary officials, according to public broadcaster SVT. The ceremony followed a service at Stockholm’s Storkyrkan church.
Parties divided over next government
The formal opening came a day after Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson abandoned her attempt to explore forming a government. Neither Andersson nor Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson clearly sought the next mandate in interviews with SVT on Tuesday.
Andersson said Kristersson should be asked to investigate whether he could form a government. Kristersson said he would follow the instructions of Speaker Andreas Norlen.
Norlen, who was re-elected speaker, is due to hold another round of talks with party leaders on Wednesday. He said he had not ruled out putting a candidate for prime minister to a parliamentary vote, even if that candidate acknowledged that efforts to form a government had failed.
Coalition disputes complicate negotiations
Disagreements over possible coalition partners remain a major obstacle. Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist repeated that her party would not join a government that included the Left Party, pointing to differences over economic policy.
Andersson urged the parties to reconsider their positions and seek compromise. Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar said the Centre Party needed to decide which political bloc it would support, while Green Party leader Amanda Lind called for parties involved in a possible centre-left coalition to meet.
On the right, Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson said his party would demand ministerial positions in any government it supported. Christian Democrats leader Ebba Busch called for parliamentary votes on prime ministerial candidates to help move the process forward.
