Sweden’s blocs talk after a 176-173 count with overseas ballots still out
With 95 percent of districts counted after Sunday’s vote, Magdalena Andersson’s centre-left held 176 of 349 Riksdag seats against 173 for the right-leaning camp. The Guardian and Al Jazeera both record coalition talks, Wednesday’s overseas count, and the Sweden Democrats’ first loss of support. Full results are not in. Neither paper calls a government.
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The Guardian records 176-173
The Guardian reported that Swedish parties opened coalition talks as Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson began trying to form a government. Full results from Sunday's election are not expected until overseas votes are counted on Wednesday. With 95 percent counted the centre-left held 176 of 349 Riksdag seats against 173 for the right-leaning parties. The far-right Sweden Democrats lost support for the first time since they were founded and appear out of government. The paper says many of their ideas on immigration, integration and crime have become mainstream, including on the centre-left. For the reader the first result is that the seat gap is thin and overseas ballots are still open. 176 and 173 come from a 95 percent count, before overseas ballots. The Guardian writes as London correspondent. Al Jazeera's Election Authority sentence is absent from this paragraph.[1]
Al Jazeera gives the Election Authority projection
Al Jazeera, citing staff and AFP, says Sweden's centre-left opposition held a narrow lead as the far right slipped, with about 95 percent of districts counted. The Swedish Election Authority reported on Monday that four opposition parties were projected to hold 176 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag, with 173 going to four parties that make up or support the conservative-led government. Results may not be clear until early votes and overseas ballots are counted on Wednesday. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, in office since 2022 with a centre-right coalition that relies on the Sweden Democrats, could remain if the left's thin majority fails to form a government. For the reader the second result is that 176-173 is an authority projection. The Guardian's Andersson stage is absent here; Al Jazeera leaves Kristersson's door open. 95 percent and Wednesday are shared.[2]
The count is unfinished, there is no government
Both publishers describe the same tight count: 176 to 173, 95 percent, 349 seats, Wednesday overseas ballots. The Guardian leads with Andersson's talks and the Sweden Democrats' first loss. Al Jazeera writes the Election Authority projection and Kristersson's chance of remaining in office. The shared event is Monday arithmetic on Sunday's vote. The card does not announce a government. For the Sweden desk the meaning is that the centre-left is narrowly ahead and overseas ballots can still break the arithmetic until Wednesday. 176, 173 and 95 sit in both texts. The figures do not conflict. The Guardian adds that ideas have become mainstream; Al Jazeera does not repeat that gloss.[1], [2]
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