Sweden’s September 2026 parliamentary election produced a narrow center-left majority of 176 seats against 173 for the outgoing right-wing bloc, prompting Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s resignation and initial government-formation attempts by Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson. Persistent internal divisions, especially between the Center Party and Left Party over ministerial posts and policy red lines, have prolonged negotiations and led to one failed exploratory mandate. Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlén has granted Andersson additional time through mid-October under Sweden’s negative parliamentarism rules, where four rejected prime ministerial candidates would trigger a snap election. Parties across the spectrum continue coalition talks rather than risk a new vote, consistent with the country’s long-standing practice of resolving deadlocks through negotiation since the last snap election in 1958.