Swedish PM Resigns Following No-Confidence Vote

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced his resignation on Monday, a week after he lost a vote of no confidence.

Lofven became the first Swedish leader ever to lose a no-confidence vote among lawmakers. His decision gave the country's parliament speaker the job of finding a new premier.

The vote was called after a left-wing party withdrew its support for Lofven's minority government due to a clash over proposed reforms to Sweden's rental market.

Lofven could have either called a snap election or resigned following the lack of support among his peers.

However, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Lofven told a news conference a snap election was "not what is best for Sweden."

"The speaker will now begin work on proposing a prime minister who can be tolerated by the Riksdag [assembly]. The government will continue to govern the country for now, but as the caretaking government.''

Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlen will have up to four attempts to find a new prime minister. It is up to him to start talks with party leaders who are able to form a new government.

The motion of no confidence had triggered frenzied talks across the political spectrum as both blocs tried to line up enough support to form a government.

With the center-left and center-right blocs evenly balanced in the polls, a general election, which is scheduled for September 2022, might find Sweden in a political stalemate once more.