Stefan Lofven to attempt to form government

The speaker of the Swedish parliament said on Friday he would propose Stefan Lofven, the leader of the Social Democrats, as the new prime minister, saying parliament was due to vote on the proposal in early December.

Parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlen said he would formally propose Lofven as prime minister on December 3, and a confidence vote would be held a few days later, possibly December 5.

"The process has to move ahead," Norlen told reporters in parliament.

Prior to the December 3 nomination, Lofven was to inform the speaker which parties he envisaged the government would comprise, Norlen said.

The speaker on Thursday consulted with party leaders after Centre Party leader Annie Loof said she had given up her attempt to form a government. She was the third party leader to make an attempt to form a government since September.

Loof's week-long consultations had clarified some issues and parties now needed to consider possible changes in their stance, Norlen said.

Sweden's general election on September 9 resulted in a political stalemate between the country's two main political alliances, led by Lofven's Social Democrats and the conservatives. Neither bloc has a majority in the 349-seat legislature, complicating the formation of a new government.

Lofven heads a caretaker government after he lost a mandatory confidence vote held late September.

Last week Ulf Kristersson, the leader of Sweden's conservatives, failed in his bid to become prime minister and form a new government after losing a confidence vote.

Kristersson said on Friday that he was "prepared" to stand again, and that the decision to test Lofven in a confidence vote "was the only way to move ahead."

Loof's Centre Party, a traditional ally of the conservatives, voted against Kristersson, citing that his envisaged government comprising the conservatives and the Christian Democrats would be too reliant on the Sweden Democrats.

The Sweden Democrats have the swing vote, but the other parties have ruled out working with them.

Jimmie Akesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, has said his party favours a conservative-led government and does not fear new elections.

"[It is] reasonable that parliament votes on Stefan Lofven so that we can move on," he said on Friday.

Norlen has three more attempts to propose a prime minister before fresh elections are automatically triggered.