Swedish speaker takes over process to break deadlock

Bloomberg

The speaker of parliament took over the government formation process after more than a month of talks have led nowhere on forming a new Swedish ruling coalition after last month’s inconclusive election. The willingness to compromise has been “limited” so far, Speaker Andreas Norlen said at a press conference in parliament. He will now lead group talks, starting as soon as tomorrow with a discussion on forming a grand coalition. He will then explore three other potential governments, including a Social Democrat, Green, Center and Liberal variety, an opposition Alliance and Green Party coalition and a pure Alliance government, he said.
He declined to set a deadline on the talks. “But its timing is not without end,” Norlen said. “We have to see a vote in parliament at some point.
It could be the only thing that breaks the deadlock.”
Urgency is building after acting Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Monday abandoned his attempt to form a government, marking another failure almost two months after the election. The failure of the 61-year-old Social Democrat follows a previously unsuccessful try by Alliance Opposition leader Ulf Kristersson.
Kristersson on Monday called on bringing alternatives to a vote in parliament, saying that the Swedish people will soon lose patience after what has been a record-long government formation process. “We have to test our opinions in a real-life situation,” he said.