Lofven to lead new government in Sweden
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Swedish lawmakers on Friday approved a center-left minority government led by the current caretaker prime minister, Stefan Lofven, ending a four-month political deadlock. Swedish politicians have been trying for months to form a government without the Sweden Democrats party, which has neo-Nazi roots. Parties have refused to cooperate with Sweden’s third-largest party, which made great strides in the Sept. 9 national election.
The vote Friday in the Riksdagen, or parliament, was 153-115 in favor of Lofven, with 77 abstentions. His own Social Democrats and the Greens backed him and the center-right bloc voted against, while three smaller parties abstained.