Swedish Centre-left PM Wins Second Term After Months Of Wrangling

Sweden ended a four-month political vacuum Friday when lawmakers elected Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to a second term, after he elbowed out the far-right to save one of Europe's few leftwing governments

Stockholm, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jan, 2019 ) :Sweden ended a four-month political vacuum Friday when lawmakers elected Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to a second term, after he elbowed out the far-right to save one of Europe's few leftwing governments.

Lofven, 61, may have won a victory, but the former welder and union leader emerges weakened by months of wrangling in the wake of September's inconclusive legislative elections that forced him to make major concessions to centre-right parties to win their support.

Lofven will formally present his new minority centre-left government, comprising his Social Democrats and the Greens, and its programme on Monday.

His new administration will be one of the weakest in Sweden in 70 years, with just 32.7 percent of voters having cast ballots for the two parties.

He therefore secured the backing of the Centre and Liberal parties, until now members of the four-party, centre-right opposition Alliance, agreeing to a policy document that includes, among other things, the introduction of market rates for newly produced rental housing and easing Sweden's strict labour laws.

Together, the four parties hold 167 of 349 seats in parliament, eight fewer than the 175 that constitutes a majority in the Riksdag.