Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announces resignation after election defeat

Thursday 17 September 2026 - 14:16

By: Azzat Manal

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announces resignation after election defeat

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has announced his resignation after the centre-left opposition secured a narrow majority in the country’s parliamentary election, bringing his term in office to an end and opening the way for negotiations over a new government.

The final count showed that the four opposition parties won 176 of the 349 seats in Sweden’s Riksdag, while the parties forming or supporting the outgoing conservative-led government secured 173 seats. The result was confirmed after late-arriving and overseas ballots were included in the count.

Kristersson announced his decision in a letter published on social media platform X. He said the next stage would be led by the speaker of parliament and requested to be relieved of his duties so that the process of forming a new government could begin without delay.

The election has put former Prime Minister and Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson in position to seek a return to the premiership. Her party emerged as the largest single political force, winning 99 seats, although forming a government will require negotiations with other parties within the opposition bloc.

The four-party opposition majority remains relatively narrow, and differences between its members could complicate the formation of a stable government. The Centre Party has ruled out supporting a government that gives ministerial positions to the Left Party, while the Social Democrats have sought parliamentary backing without necessarily including the Left Party in the cabinet.

Kristersson has led Sweden since 2022 at the head of a three-party centre-right coalition that relied on parliamentary support from the Sweden Democrats. The party lost ground in the latest election and finished third, according to the final results.

The change of government comes as Sweden continues to navigate major domestic and international issues, including security policy, immigration, economic priorities and its role within NATO and the European Union. Sweden became a NATO member in 2024, during Kristersson’s term in office.

The next step will be the parliamentary process to determine who can assemble a government capable of winning sufficient support in the Riksdag. Andersson is expected to play a central role in those negotiations, although the final composition of the new government remains to be determined.