Ida Gabrielsson Disappointed as Social Democrats Rule Out Left Party in Government

Now that we had started talking, it would have been better if we had brought them together. I'm actually a little disappointed, she continues.

The Social Democrats have given the Centre Party the go-ahead and announced that they want to form a government with only the Centre Party and the Green Party. At the same time, the Left Party is adamant that it will not back down from its demand to sit in government.

Gabrielsson assumes that the Left Party will not be involved in this week's negotiations between the Red-Greens and the Centre Party on the solution the Centre Party wants to see by Friday.

Now they have said that they will put together a total package that excludes us and outflanks Ulf Kristersson on right-wing politics. So we assume that they do not intend to include us, says Gabrielsson.

"Want to blackmail"

She says that the Left Party's door remains open to parties that want to pursue left-centre politics without influence from the Sweden Democrats.

But we believe that once the Centre Party has opened that door, it is because they want to blackmail our side into pursuing all their right-wing politics, and we cannot accept that.

According to Gabrielsson, it is not appropriate for the Left Party to bring up for discussion its congress decision to sit in government.

There is absolutely strong support for it (the congress decision), and everyone has been aware of that.

The Left Party leader believes that the Centre Party must now make up its mind.

Should they go to Ulf Kristersson and get a lot of right-wing politics and, in every vote, make themselves dependent on the Sweden Democrats? Otherwise, it is up to the Centre Party and the Social Democrats to once again negotiate a four-party government with the Left Party.

Centre Party negotiates in parallel

On Friday, the Centre Party put pressure on the Social Democrats by announcing that it wanted to negotiate in parallel with Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson and Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson.

This prompted Andersson to announce at a hastily called press conference on Sunday that she is aiming for a government with the Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Centre Party.

The task of forming a new government currently lies with Ulf Kristersson. He is aiming for a four-party centre-right government, which will need to cooperate with other parties to secure support for its policies in parliament.