Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will get another week to try to form a new government, parliament speaker Andreas Norlén said on Tuesday, after the opposition failed to lock in a majority despite winning September’s election, The Straits Times reported, citing Reuters.

Kristersson was tasked last week after the far-right Sweden Democrats dropped demands for cabinet seats — potentially making it easier for him to persuade the Centre Party to back his right-wing bloc instead of centre-left leader Magdalena Andersson.

Kristersson’s bloc lost its majority in September, and Andersson has not yet won the Greens, the Left Party and the Centre, which she needs to pass an investiture vote.

His mandate was due to expire on Tuesday, but Norlén said he would talk to all party leaders again and give Kristersson another week. “After that, I will communicate the next steps,” he said.

Andersson on Tuesday asked for a fresh chance to form a government as she presses the Left to drop demands to join the cabinet. The Centre has said it will not accept a government with the Left — hit by antisemitism accusations — and might instead back Kristersson’s right-wing option.

“My assessment is that things are starting to move now,” Andersson told TT, amid reports opposition parties plan further talks.

Image: Ulf Kristersson (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Sources consulted: Swedish PM Kristersson given another week to try to form new government — The Straits Times.