Sweden faces political limbo after narrow election

Sweden is set to face weeks of coalition negotiations after the country’s rival left- and right-wing parliamentary blocs failed to win a majority in Sunday’s election. The ruling center-left Social Democrats and the center-right Alliance each emerged with about 40 percent of the vote in preliminary counts. The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats secured 17.6 percent of the votes—up from 13 percent four years ago—as the country battles an immigration crisis. Sweden could face political uncertainty as the two leading blocs said they will not work with the Sweden Democrats. “I will not exclude any alternative to the government,” said Interior Minister Anders Ygeman, a Social Democrat. “What I can exclude is any direct or indirect cooperation with the Sweden Democrats.” Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Alliance, also claimed the right to create the new government and called on Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to resign. Swedish election officials will announce the final results later this week.