Swedish center-left coalition wins tight election marred by antisemitism accusations

Sweden's center-left coalition, led by Magdalena Andersson's Social Democrats, won a razor-thin election by 50,359 votes, securing 176 seats to the right-wing bloc's 173. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson resigned after promising cabinet posts to the far-right Sweden Democrats, which saw its first drop in support since 2010. The Social Democrats face the challenge of forming a government with support from the Left, Centre, and Green parties, though the Centre Party has refused to cooperate with the Left Party after it removed dozens of candidates for spreading antisemitic conspiracies. The election was marked by accusations of antisemitism across the political spectrum.

Sweden's center-left coalition, led by former prime minister Magdalena Andersson's Social Democrats, won a nail-biter general election, overturning Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing government. The alliance of four left-leaning parties won by just 50,359 votes, reaching 176 seats in parliament, while Kristersson's coalition had 173 seats. Kristersson resigned on Thursday after public broadcaster SVT called the election for the center-left bloc. He had promised key ministerial posts to the Sweden Democrats, a far-right, anti-immigrant party with neo-Nazi roots, which saw its first drop in support since entering parliament in 2010. The Social Democrats, despite finishing with a plurality, had their worst performance in decades with 28% of the vote. They now face the challenge of forming a government with support from the Left Party (8.4%), the Centre Party (7%), and the Green Party (6.1%). However, the Centre Party has said it will not team up with the Left Party after dozens of its candidates were removed from electoral lists this year for circulating antisemitic conspiracy theories and promoting homophobia. The election was heavily marked by accusations of antisemitism across the political spectrum, with politicians on all sides positioning themselves as defenders against antisemitism. Aron Verständig, chair of the Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities, expressed concern that Jews were being reduced to a political tool.