Sweden in political deadlock after parliament ousts PM

Sweden braces for a period of political uncertainty after the parliament dramatically ousted Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday. With none of the political blocs willing to forge an alliance with anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, the formation of a new stable government could be a tricky affair.

Lofven, the leader of the center-left Social Democrats, was backed by 142 MPs while 204 voted against him, notes the BBC. The political impasse could be broken if one of the major alliances heeds to the demands of nationalist SD, giving them voice in policy matters despite their “Nazi” roots.

Amid a bitterly divided parliament, the speaker is expected to invite Ulf Kristersson, leader of the biggest Alliance party, the Moderates, to form a new government, a process that could be repeated four times before triggering fresh elections, reports Reuters.