Sweden's center-left bloc set to win election, STV reports
The center-left opposition won the Swedish elections by a very slim margin, the public broadcaster reported after 99% of the votes were counted. Thorny negotiations await the bloc even if the result is confirmed.
Sweden's center-left opposition bloc appears poised to secure the most votes in the country's parliamentary election, but the margin of victory is razor-thin, according to public broadcaster SVT. As of 1647 GMT, with under 1% of votes remaining to be counted, the center-left bloc led by Social Democrats' Magdalena Andersson was ahead by just 26,169 votes.
If the results hold, it would mark a shift in power from the right-wing bloc headed by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Kristersson's bloc is projected to win 174 seats, while the center-left would control 175 seats, based on data from Sweden's election authority. Both Kristersson and Andersson have expressed openness to considering coalition options.
SVT stated that the chances of a major shift at this stage are minimal, allowing them to confidently report that the opposition will win the most seats. With late ballots still being tallied, the likelihood of a turnaround is so small that SVT is certain the opposition will emerge victorious. Despite Andersson's narrow lead, her bloc will have to navigate challenging negotiations before forming a government, particularly given the significant differences between the liberal Center Party and the socialist Left Party. The formal government formation process cannot begin until September 29.
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