Image copyright AFP Image caption Stefan Lofven waved as he and his wife Ulla arrived at the Swedish parliament on Tuesday

Sweden's centre-left prime minister, Stefan Lofven, will have to stand down after losing the support of parliament.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats (SD) backed the vote to remove him, weeks after a general election that delivered a hung parliament.

Mr Lofven was opposed by 204 MPs, with 142 voting in favour.

The parliamentary speaker will now propose a new prime minister, with centre-right leader Ulf Kristersson seen as the most likely candidate.

Mr Lofven is expected to stay on as caretaker prime minister while his replacement is decided, in a process that could take weeks.

What happens next?

Mr Lofven, the leader of the Social Democrats, came to power in 2014.

In this month's election, his centre-left bloc won 144 seats, one more than the centre-right bloc led by Mr Kristersson.

Neither of the blocs intends to govern with the SD, the third-largest party in the new parliament with 62 seats.

A member of Mr Kristersson's Moderate party, Andreas Norlen, was confirmed as the parliament's new speaker on Monday, with the support of SD.

The splintered nature of the house makes securing a stable government tricky because:

Mr Lofven's party has ruled out backing a centre-right minority government

Two of the four members of the centre-right bloc say they will quit if it negotiates a deal with the SD

If there are four unsuccessful attempts to form a government, that will trigger fresh elections - something which has never happened before.

'No man's land' - Swedish media reaction

By Matilda Welin, BBC Monitoring

Most Swedish news media are providing live commentary on an unprecedented moment in Swedish politics.

The main bone of contention is whether the blocs can stomach supporting each other, or if they will seek support from the Sweden Democrats - something several party leaders have promised never to do.

"Now, Sweden enters no man's land", said the liberal daily Dagens Nyheter. "The situation is locked…Sweden will never get a government unless one or more party leaders can break their promises."

The issue risks ripping previous allies apart. "The government formation may destroy the Alliance from within", said Public Service's political commentator Mats Knutsson.

A new interpretation of the constitution has taken effect for this election, which only adds to the uncertainty. "Now comes something that can be compared to parliamentary driving in the dark", said Sweden's biggest daily, Svenska Dagbladet.

"Nobody wants to back down, nobody is showing any willingness to compromise, everyone wants it in a way that benefits them the most", prominent commentator Lena Mellin said in tabloid Aftonbladet. "Where are all the adults in the room? Not in parliament, that's for sure."

What has the fallout been?

Speaking after the vote, Mr Lofven, who is still the leader of the largest party, said he intended to work to form another government across the political divide.

"I see good opportunities to continue as prime minister," he said.

Mr Lofven said he did not believe that fresh elections were something voters wanted but he added that he would never support a government that relied on the SD.

Mr Kristersson said that a new government was needed - one with broad political support.

While the SD is expected to back the Moderate candidate, Mr Lofven warned the centre-right bloc on Tuesday against relying on the support of a party "founded by Nazis".

Who makes up the rival blocs?

Mr Lofven's Social Democrats stood for election as part of a coalition with the Green Party.

The radical Left Party won 28 seats. While it did not join Mr Lofven's government, it did provide parliamentary support.

The centre-right bloc is made up of Mr Kristersson's Moderates and three other parties: the Centre Party, the Christian Democrats and the Liberals.

Who are the Sweden Democrats?

The SD is a nationalist, anti-immigration party which was linked to neo-Nazis and other far-right groups for years. It only entered parliament in 2010.

In the years since, it has become the third-largest party - a political success story.

Officially, it welcomes supporters from all backgrounds but its history means it has been shunned by the mainstream political parties since it first won seats.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Jimmie Akesson, leader of the SD, on the campaign trail with the party's floral logo

The SD has been keen to change its image but there have been some scandals, and several party members have been expelled in recent years for racist behaviour or links to right-wing groups.

Traditionally, its supporters have been working-class men.

But the party won 18% of the vote in the recent general election - up from 13% four years ago - demonstrating a growing base in Sweden.</s>The Swedish Social Democratic Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven, was dismissed today by the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) by losing a no-confidence vote filed against him by the opposition, by 204 votes in favor against 142.

Löfven and his executive in a minority will continue to exercise power until the new House set up today after the hard-fought general elections of last day 9 to elect a new government.

The left bloc won the elections with 144 seats against 143 of the center-right Alliance, with the Democrats of Sweden (SD) with 62 and key to secure the majority, although none of the other forces want to agree with him.

The dismissal of Löfven was expected after both the Alliance and the SD had insisted during the campaign and after the elections in which they would vote against its continuity and that of its coalition government with the Environment Party, supported from outside by the Left Party.

“Sweden needs a new leadership and a new government,” Conservative leader Ulf Kristersson said today before the vote on the Parliament’s podium.</s>Sweden’s prime minister, Stefan Löfven, lost a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday after the far-right Sweden Democrats backed the center-right opposition Alliance’s bid to oust the Social Democrats.

Löfven’s defeat in the confidence vote, when 204 MPs voted against him versus 142 votes in favor, means the speaker of parliament must now broker talks to form a new government.

“The voters want to have another government,” Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson told MPs in the debate Tuesday morning.

Sweden was plunged into political uncertainty after the September 9 election resulted in a difference of just one seat between the center left, led by the Social Democrats, and the center right, led by Ulf Kristersson‘s Moderates. The Sweden Democrats gained ground to finish in third place.

After the vote, Löfven told parliament he would still be willing to serve as prime minister and “lead a government that enjoys broad support in Sweden’s parliament.”

He will continue at the helm of a caretaker government while the newly-elected speaker of the Riksdag, Andreas Norlén from the Moderates, leads talks towards forming the next government. Norlén said a statement on the parliament’s home page that his first step would be to gather representatives of all parties for talks on Thursday.

“To the Alliance it is obvious that Sweden needs a new government,” said Kristersson.

The Moderates and their Alliance partners, who won 143 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag in September versus 144 for the center-left bloc, have so far refused to countenance a formal coalition deal with the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats, who took 62 seats.

That delicate balance of power in the Riksdag means it could be tough for Norlén to broker a deal. Parliamentary rules mean that if he fails after four attempts, a snap election has to be called within three months.

Read this next: Open Society takes Hungary to court over ‘Stop Soros’ law</s>Sweden’s prime minister has lost a vote of confidence in parliament, meaning he will have to step down – though not immediately.

Stefan Lofven, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, will continue as caretaker prime minister until a new government can be formed that has the command of the Riksdagen.

Politicians voted 204-142 against Mr Lofven, while three abstained.

Mr Lofven has been prime minister since 2014.

Tuesday’s vote was mandatory after elections earlier this month delivered a hung parliament.

Neither the left-leaning bloc led by the Social Democrats nor the Moderates-led centre-right opposition managed to secure a majority in the 349-seat parliament after the September 9 vote.

Both have refused to co-operate with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.</s>Sweden’s prime minister has lost a vote of confidence in parliament, meaning he will have to step down – though not immediately.

Stefan Lofven, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, will continue as caretaker prime minister until a new government can be formed that has the command of the Riksdagen.

Politicians voted 204-142 against Mr Lofven, while three abstained.

Mr Lofven has been prime minister since 2014.

Stefan Lofven, right, during the vote of confidence (Anders Wiklund/TT/AP)

Tuesday’s vote was mandatory after elections earlier this month delivered a hung parliament.

Neither the left-leaning bloc led by the Social Democrats nor the Moderates-led centre-right opposition managed to secure a majority in the 349-seat parliament after the September 9 vote.

Both have refused to co-operate with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.

In the election, the Social Democrats got 28.3% of the vote while the Moderate Party received 19.8% and the Sweden Democrats 17.5%.

The centre-left and centre-right blocs control 144 and 143 seats respectively, while the Sweden Democrats have 62 legislators in the assembly.

Andreas Norlen, a member of the Moderates who was elected on Monday as speaker, is charged with trying to find someone in parliament who may be able to command a majority and form a government.

He alone decides which of the party leaders can begin these talks.

Mr Lofven remained optimistic he could form a governing coalition but stopped short of saying who with.

“I am available for talks,” he said after the vote.

He ruled out any contacts with the Sweden Democrats, saying “time after time, their connections to racist and Nazi organisations have been exposed”.</s>Sweden’s prime minister has lost a vote of confidence in parliament after an election this month stripped him of his majority.

Stefan Lofven, leader of the Social Democratic Party who has been prime minister for four years, will continue in a caretaker role until a new government can be formed that has the command of the Riksdagen, the national parliament.

Legislators voted 204-142 against Mr Lofven. Three were absent, so did not vote. The ballot was mandatory after the September 9 general election delivered a hung parliament.

Although Mr Lofven remains optimistic he may be able to form a government, the vote means Sweden faces weeks of political uncertainty.

Stefan Lofven during the vote of confidence (Anders Wiklund/TT/AP)

Both main political blocs in the parliament have refused to co-operate with the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats party, which made great strides in the election.

Neither the left-leaning bloc led by the Social Democrats nor the Moderates-led centre-right opposition managed to secure a majority in the 349-seat parliament.

In the election, the Social Democrats got 28.3% of the vote while the Moderate Party received 19.8% and the Sweden Democrats 17.5%.

The centre-left and centre-right blocs control 144 and 143 seats respectively while the Sweden Democrats have 62.

Andreas Norlen, a member of the Moderates who was elected on Monday as speaker, is charged with trying to find someone in parliament who may be able to command a majority and form a government.

He alone decides which of the party leaders can begin these talks.

Mr Lofven remained optimistic he could form a governing coalition but stopped short of saying who with.

“I am available for talks,” he said after the vote on Tuesday.

He ruled out having any contacts with the Sweden Democrats, saying “time after time, their connections to racist and Nazi organisations have been exposed”.</s>A total of 204 of Sweden's 349 members of parliament voted no to Löfven as prime minister on Tuesday morning. No one abstained, 142 voted for Löfven and three MPs were not present in the chamber.

"Today, after the election, we're doing what we promised before the election," the Moderates' Ulf Kristersson, leader of the largest party in the centre-right Alliance opposition, told parliament ahead of the vote. "To the Alliance it is obvious that Sweden needs a new government."

Anders Ygeman, the group leader of the Social Democrats in parliament, argued that Sweden's September 9th election gave 143 seats to the four-party Alliance and 144 seats to the centre-left bloc of the Social Democrats, Greens and Left Party. The centre-right however has argued that the Left Party is not formally part of government and should therefore not be counted as part of the centre-left bloc.

The Social Democrats, Greens and Left voted for Löfven, while the Moderates, Centre, Liberals, Christian Democrats and the Sweden Democrats voted against him.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about the Swedish election

It will now be up to speaker of parliament Andreas Norlén to ask another party leader to try to form a government. Löfven is however set to lead a caretaker government during the weeks or months it is expected to take to find a new head of government.

Löfven told reporters after the vote that he remained prepared to stay on as prime minister if asked to do so by the speaker, saying he wanted to negotiate across the political divide to seek bi-partisan compromises.

"It is my wish to continue serving our country as prime minister. I want to lead a government that enjoys broad support in Sweden's parliament, so that we can leave bloc politics behind and take the country forward," he said.

Elections on September 9th left neither of Sweden's main blocs with an absolute majority, with just one seat separating the centre-left (Social Democrats and the Green Party) and the centre-right Alliance (Moderate Party, Centre Party, Christian Democrats, and Liberals).

The Sweden Democrats are the third largest group, and some right-wing MPs have suggested cooperation with the far-right party. The Centre Party and Liberals have said they would quit the Alliance if the Moderates and Christian Democrats were to negotiate a deal – for example on immigration – with the far-right in exchange for their support.

Another alternative would be for the Alliance to reach a compromise with the Social Democrats on big political issues, such as the autumn budget.

Tuesday morning's confidence motion follows an important day on Monday, which saw Norlén of the centre-right Moderates elected parliamentary speaker, apparently thanks to the support of the far-right. Although the vote was anonymous, the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats had indicated they would support the Moderate Party's candidate, likely hoping for support for their own candidates in exchange.

Their candidate Björn Söder lost out on a deputy speaker post in parliament though, after losing votes for the roles of second and third deputy speaker. The position of second deputy speaker usually goes to a member of the third largest bloc or party, which would be the Sweden Democrats, and Söder was the incumbent in the role, but Left Party candidate Lotta Johnsson Fornarve was chosen as second deputy speaker and the Centre Party's Kerstin Lundgren as third deputy speaker.</s>Sweden's social democratic prime minister on Tuesday lost a parliamentary vote of no confidence brought against him by the opposition.

Stefan Löfven received only 142 votes backing his continuity at the helm of the Swedish executive, while 204 lawmakers voted to remove him from the post.</s>Sweden's centre-right opposition and the far-right have removed Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a vote of no-confidence, after September's election delivered a hung parliament.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, with 62 seats and shunned by all parties since entering parliament in 2010, backed the Alliance in Tuesday's vote - an obligatory test of the prime minister's parliamentary support after an election.

A total of 204 of 349 members of parliament voted against Lofven, while 142 voted in favour of him.

The speaker of parliament, Andreas Norlen, is now charged with beginning talks with party leaders to find a new candidate for prime minister.

Lofven - the leader of the Social Democratic Party who has been prime minister for four years - said after the vote that he would "stay on as leader of a caretaker government", and underlined that he was still prepared to form a new government.

"I will work for a solution, Sweden needs a government," he said.

Norlen is widely expected to task Ulf Kristersson, the head of the opposition Alliance coalition, with the job, but the Alliance does not hold a majority in parliament and has so far ruled out any collaboration with the Sweden Democrats.

Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Akesson repeated on Tuesday his party wanted a say in policy as the price of supporting a new government.

"We will do everything in our power to stop any attempt to form a government, do everything to bring down every government, which does not give us a reasonable influence in proportion to our electoral support," Akesson said.

The speaker has four chances to propose a candidate for prime minister in parliament, but there is no fixed deadline. If none of the proposals are approved, fresh elections must be held within three months.

With a new vote unlikely to change the situation much, some kind of compromise is likely to be thrashed out.

A number of party combinations have been suggested, but all would have a heavy political cost and a deal is could take weeks.</s>Stockholm, Sep 25 (IANS) Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven will step down following his defeat in a parliamentary no-confidence vote on Tuesday brought against him by the opposition.

Lofven received only 142 votes backing his continuity at the helm of the Swedish executive, while 204 lawmakers voted for his removal, reports Efe news.

He is set to continue leading his minority coalition government on an interim basis until the newly-constituted Riksdag (Sweden’s unicameral legislative) elects a new government.

In the general elections held two weeks ago, the centre-left bloc earned 144 seats, while an alliance of centre-right parties won 143.

The far-right, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats party obtained 62 seats, making it a key player when it comes to propping up a stable government, although both the left-leaning and conservative blocs have voiced their refusal to involve them in any deal.

Lofven, who came to power in 2014, said after the vote that he intended to work to form another government across the political divide, the BBC reported.

His opponent and new favourite for the premiership, Ulf Kristersson, said that a new government was needed – one with broad political support.
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven loses a vote of confidence in parliament.