STOCKHOLM — Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson resigned Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, after the final count of Sunday’s parliamentary election confirmed a razor-thin win for the centre-left opposition, Reuters and The Local Sweden reported.

Sweden’s election authority finished counting late and overseas ballots with the opposition bloc at 176 seats and Kristersson’s ruling right-wing bloc at 173 in the 349-seat Riksdag. Kristersson immediately sent a letter to Speaker Andreas Norlén asking to be relieved so government-formation talks could begin.

“Now it is the speaker who will lead the next stage of the way to a new government. I am herewith requesting that I be relieved of the office of prime minister to allow that work to start immediately,” Kristersson wrote in a letter posted on X, according to Reuters.

Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson is widely expected to try to return as prime minister after four years in opposition, POLITICO Europe reported. But her bloc still has to negotiate a workable deal: the Left Party wants ministers in government, while the liberal Center Party has said it cannot accept that — a deadlock Kristersson flagged in his resignation letter as a reason talks may need “constructive openness” across parties. The earliest a new prime minister can be sworn in is Sept. 29. Kristersson is expected to remain in a caretaker role until then.

Dated Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026: final count 176–173 for the centre-left; Kristersson tenders resignation to the Speaker; Andersson bloc still must form a government.

Sources