The Sweden Democrats have given up their demand for seats in the cabinet and are prepared to tolerate Ulf Kristersson as prime minister, their leader Jimmie Akesson announced at a press conference in his hometown of Solvesborg on Friday. The party would urge abstention in a vote for prime minister, allowing a government of the Centre Party, Christian Democrats, Liberals and Moderates to take office, and would then sit in full opposition until the next election.
The concession is narrow, and Akesson stated its limits plainly. The Sweden Democrats will not be a support party, will conclude no long term agreements, and will not promise to pass budgets, although he said the party is open to negotiating a budget case by case, as any opposition party would. A government formed on this basis would, in his words, have to take responsibility for itself and seek majorities in the Riksdag. He has also said he would remain prepared to bring a Kristersson government down.
Kristersson, who received an exploratory mandate from the Speaker on Tuesday after members rejected Centre leader Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, and who is due to report back by November 10, called the announcement responsible and welcome, saying it could make something very difficult somewhat less difficult, and that talks are continuing. The Centre Party, whose red line against Sweden Democrat influence in government is what the announcement is designed to get around, was reported surprised and had not commented. The Social Democrats’ deputy group leader Anders Ygeman said the announcement changes nothing, because a Kristersson government would still depend completely on Akesson’s party.
The arithmetic shows why. Sweden’s September 13 election returned a hung parliament, and even with the Centre Party won over, a four party centre right government would face a joint Social Democrat, Left Party and Green budget alternative of 151 votes against its 136, so it would still need Sweden Democrat support it has explicitly not been promised. Under Swedish rules a prime ministerial candidate needs only to avoid a majority voting against, which is what makes toleration workable for taking office, but not for governing.