Swedish Social Democrats leader makes fresh bid to form government

Sweden's parliament speaker said Friday that he had asked Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson to make a new attempt to form a government, days after a first bid failed.

Andreas Norlen said Andersson should report back to him by October 12

"On the basis of the conversations I have had, I have decided that Magdalena Andersson, the Social Democrats' party leader, will be given the task of continuing to resume her exploratory assignment," Norlen told a press conference.

Sweden's centre-left opposition bloc won 176 seats in parliament, versus 173 for outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing bloc, which includes the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats in the September 13 election.

Norlen first tasked Andersson to start government talks on September 18, but she gave up on September 28, after failing to unite the three other parties in her group due to deep ideological differences.

There was speculation that the speaker would give the assignment to Kristersson.

"I can conclude that the fundamental political and parliamentary conditions are exactly the same now as they were when Andersson was first given the assignment," Norlen told reporters.

Norlen said Andersson's assignment would formally begin on October 5.

"I want to give the parties some time for reflection before the formal process resumes," he said.

The speaker has four attempts at assigning the task of forming a government. If the fourth attempt fails, a snap election must be called.