Mediaboss Marketing

AFP Sweden's Social Democrats reclaim power, as far right gains

Stockholm (AFP) - A left-leaning coalition led by Sweden's opposition Social Democrats defeated the incumbent centre-right government in Sunday's general election, while the far right was headed for historic gains.

The anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats more than doubled their votes, to 12.9 percent, becoming the Nordic country's third-largest party and striving for a role as "absolute kingmaker" in the legislature.

The election set the stage for a bid by the Social Democrats' leader Stefan Loefven to form a coalition government with the Greens and the former communist Left Party.

"I am ready to start exploring possibilities to form a new government for Sweden," the 57-year-old former trade unionist told jubilant supporters in Stockholm when his win was confirmed.

With 99.9 percent of all districts counted, the red-green coalition had garnered a total of 43.7 percent of the vote.

This compared with 39.3 percent for the four-party conservative-liberal Alliance led by incumbent Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

'We didn't make it'

Reinfeldt, prime minister for the past eight years, conceded defeat late Sunday with the vote counting almost complete.

"We didn't make it," the 49-year-old leader of the Moderates party told supporters in Stockholm, adding he would hand in his resignation Monday.

View post:
Sweden's Social Democrats set to reclaim power as far-right makes gains