51 days after Sweden’s election, here’s what happens next in the government formation process

November 3: C leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist is voted down as prime minister in the Riksdag. The exploratory task goes to M leader Ulf Kristersson.

November 10: Ulf Kristersson is due to report back to Speaker Andreas Norlén by this date. He says he sees little chance of success unless the parliamentary conditions change, which in practice means that C must be open to switching sides.

After the M leader reports back, the Speaker can either put Kristersson up for a vote on the premiership or let the exploratory task continue.

Andreas Norlén has said that he works on the principle that an exploratory task should be followed by a vote. But since the next vote will be the third of four, he has also said there may be reason to proceed with some caution.

If Ulf Kristersson fails to form a government and things start to happen on the red-green side, Norlén could give Magdalena Andersson the exploratory task again without first putting Kristersson to a vote.

The Speaker can put forward prime ministerial candidates for a vote in the Riksdag four times.

If no prime minister has been approved after four votes, a snap election will be held, increasing pressure on the parties to reach an agreement before each vote.