Sweden election sets up difficult government talks as Kristersson keeps options open

Party leaders will have to wait until Wednesday to do the work of trying to form the next government. Only then is the election result expected to be fully clear.

Right now we are leading and if things go well, Sweden will have a new government, says S leader Magdalena Andersson.

But Kristersson is not sure that Andersson will succeed in forming a government with S, V, MP and C.

According to him, there is a bourgeois parliamentary majority if you include C.

The three parties on the left have once again failed to gather a majority in the Swedish parliament, says Kristersson.

Open mind

According to Kristersson, the election shows that voters say no to the Social Democrats' economic policy of "higher taxes" and to abolishing freedom of choice in welfare.

Constructive openness is needed now, says Kristersson.

I will therefore, even if tonight's results stand, investigate whether there are any possibilities of finding a functioning government constellation in the non-socialist parliamentary majority that can gain support for the economic policy that Swedish voters have voted for.

If there are conditions for some form of cooperation on growth, security and protecting the line of work, he will examine that issue "with a very open mind."

He says the election results could lead to complicated government formation.

Where it ends remains to be seen. It may take time, says Kristersson.

Takes time

Center Party leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist also believes that forming a government will take time.

The Center Party has had S leader Magdalena Andersson as its prime ministerial candidate, but has said no to V in a government. C has also said no to cooperation with SD.

Those who voted for us have voted for a policy in the middle and that is the mandate we have to manage, says Thand Ringqvist.

We are ready to take responsibility for Sweden. I have long been clear that C can form a government with several other parties and that is clearly the case.

Thand Ringqvist also says that C has been clear going into the election that the extreme parties "should not dominate a government."

The voters have also rewarded us for that, she says.

Both KD, L and MP have rejected C's ideas for a center-right government.