Sweden’s new parliament formally opens amid government formation deadlock
King opens 2026-2027 parliamentary year in Stockholm as parties remain divided over next government
Sweden’s newly elected parliament formally opened in Stockholm on Tuesday, marking the start of the 2026-2027 parliamentary year as parties continued efforts to form a government following the election.
King Carl XVI Gustaf declared the Riksdag open at the speaker’s request 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.
The formal opening came a day after Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson gave up her attempt to explore forming a government. Neither Andersson nor Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson clearly sought the next mandate during interviews with SVT on Tuesday.
Andersson said Kristersson should be asked to explore whether he could form a government. Kristersson said he would do what Speaker Andreas Norlen requested.
Norlen, who was re-elected speaker, is scheduled to hold another round of talks with party leaders on Wednesday. He said that he was not ruling out putting a prime ministerial candidate to a parliamentary vote even if the candidate said efforts to form a government had failed.
Disagreements over potential coalition partners remain a central obstacle. Centre Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist reiterated that her party would not join a government including the Left Party, citing differences over economic policy.
Andersson urged parties to reconsider their positions and compromise, while Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar said the Centre Party needed to decide which political bloc it would support. Green Party leader Amanda Lind called for the parties involved in a potential center-left coalition to meet.
On the other side, Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson maintained that his party would demand ministerial posts in any government it supports. Christian Democrats leader Ebba Busch called for votes on prime ministerial candidates to help move the process forward.
