A political crisis erupted in Sweden Tuesday when the extreme-right Sweden Democrats, the country's third largest party, vowed to block the new leftist-green government's budget, a move that could trigger new elections.
"The Sweden Democrats will work towards taking down every government and every budget proposal that supports increased immigration at today's levels," the populist party's acting leader Mattias Karlsson said in a press conference.
The party -- which holds the balance of power in parliament -- said its decision was in reaction to the minority government's pro-immigration policies. It pledged instead to support a rival budget proposal from the centre-right Alliance, even if the Alliance and government are close on immigration issues.
Prime Minister Stefan Loefven told reporters that the Sweden Democrats were treating the parliament like a "playhouse" by putting political tactics first and he invited the four opposition Alliance parties to overnight crisis talks, ahead of a parliamentary vote on Wednesday.
The Swedish parliament does not have no-confidence motions but passing of the opposition budget would amount to humiliating defeat for the government.
"I am prepared to cooperate across the political divide," he said.
"There are four or five options to explore," he added, not ruling out that he could resign and call fresh elections.
Loefven's Social Democrat-led government won 43.6 percent of the vote in a September 14 general election making it the largest bloc in parliament.
Since 2010 all Swedish political parties have refused to cooperate with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.
"It's reasonable to speak with us and to hear what our 800,000 voters think," Karlsson said Tuesday, criticising the political boycott of his party, and describing Sweden's immigration policies as "extreme".
- Deadlock -
The Sweden Democrats doubled its support in the last election to become Sweden's third largest party with 13 percent of the vote by capitalising on voter concern over record immigration levels.
The number of refugee arrivals alone is estimated to reach close to 100,000 this year, partly due to Sweden's decision to grant residency to all Syrian asylum seekers.
The 57-year-old prime minister called on the Alliance -- which controls 39.4 percent of seats in parliament -- to continue to freeze out the anti-immigration party, which has roots in Sweden's Nazi movement, and to discuss a compromise.
"Are they prepared to cooperate now with the government on the budget or are they prepared to govern with the support of the Sweden Democrats?" he asked.
"I've always said I will not sit and administer someone else's budget," he said adding that may delay the vote and bring forward a new proposal in January.
It was unclear whether Loefven would succeed in breaking the deadlock ahead of Wednesday's vote.
Anna Kinberg Batra, parliamentary leader of the Alliance's largest party, the Moderates, told reporters that the centre-right group intends to stick to its budget proposal.
"Stefan Loefven is now doing everything to pass on the responsibility for this but it belongs with him," she said.
A political crisis erupted in Sweden Tuesday when the extreme-right Sweden Democrats, the country’s third largest party, vowed to block the new leftist-green government’s budget, a move that could trigger new elections.
“The Sweden Democrats will work towards taking down every government and every budget proposal that supports increased immigration at today’s levels,” the populist party’s acting leader Mattias Karlsson said in a press conference.
The party — which holds the balance of power in parliament — said its decision was in reaction to the minority government’s pro-immigration policies. It pledged instead to support a rival budget proposal from the centre-right Alliance, even if the Alliance and government are close on immigration issues.
Prime Minister Stefan Loefven told reporters that the Sweden Democrats were treating the parliament like a “playhouse” by putting political tactics first and he invited the four opposition Alliance parties to overnight crisis talks, ahead of a parliamentary vote on Wednesday.
The Swedish parliament does not have no-confidence motions but passing of the opposition budget would amount to humiliating defeat for the government.
“I am prepared to cooperate across the political divide,” he said.
“There are four or five options to explore,” he added, not ruling out that he could resign and call fresh elections.
Loefven’s Social Democrat-led government won 43.6 percent of the vote in a September 14 general election making it the largest bloc in parliament.
Since 2010 all Swedish political parties have refused to cooperate with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.
“It’s reasonable to speak with us and to hear what our 800,000 voters think,” Karlsson said Tuesday, criticising the political boycott of his party, and describing Sweden’s immigration policies as “extreme”.
– Deadlock –
The Sweden Democrats doubled its support in the last election to become Sweden’s third largest party with 13 percent of the vote by capitalising on voter concern over record immigration levels.
The number of refugee arrivals alone is estimated to reach close to 100,000 this year, partly due to Sweden’s decision to grant residency to all Syrian asylum seekers.
The 57-year-old prime minister called on the Alliance — which controls 39.4 percent of seats in parliament — to continue to freeze out the anti-immigration party, which has roots in Sweden’s Nazi movement, and to discuss a compromise.
“Are they prepared to cooperate now with the government on the budget or are they prepared to govern with the support of the Sweden Democrats?” he asked.
“I’ve always said I will not sit and administer someone else’s budget,” he said adding that may delay the vote and bring forward a new proposal in January.
It was unclear whether Loefven would succeed in breaking the deadlock ahead of Wednesday’s vote.
Anna Kinberg Batra, parliamentary leader of the Alliance’s largest party, the Moderates, told reporters that the centre-right group intends to stick to its budget proposal.
“Stefan Loefven is now doing everything to pass on the responsibility for this but it belongs with him,” she said.
