Sweden's Andersson fails to form government

Sweden's Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson said Tuesday she had failed to form a government with the three other parties in the left-wing bloc after the September 13 election.

Andersson said the conditions were not in place for a government that could be tolerated by parliament. Parliament speaker Andreas Norlen said lawmakers would still vote Thursday on whether to make her prime minister, but said she would likely fail.

The centre-left bloc won 176 seats in parliament, compared with 173 for outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing bloc, which includes the Sweden Democrats.

Talks have been blocked by positions inside Andersson's bloc. The Centre Party has said it will oppose a government that gives cabinet posts to the Left Party, while the Left Party has insisted it will only support a left-wing government in which it is a member.

Under Sweden's system, a prime minister can take office if a parliamentary majority does not vote against them. Norlen said he would speak to party leaders again after Thursday's vote. He said Kristersson, who leads a caretaker government, could be a next candidate but that he would not commit before the process continues.

The speaker has four attempts to put forward a prime minister. If all four fail, a snap election must be called.