Sweden’s prime minister loses no-confidence vote

Sweden’s Social Democrat Prime Minister Stefan Löfven saw his government toppled on Monday in an unprecedented no-confidence vote.

Löfven now has seven days to lay out the plan for his next steps, which could see him return as prime minister if he can find a majority, or calling snap elections. 

Although the far-right Sweden Democrats proposed the vote of no confidence, it was set in motion by the Left Party, who traditionally support the Social Democrats but are fiercely opposed to new policies  for market rents. As of Tuesday, talks are underway between the Left Party and the Centre Party, who have been supporting the current government in exchange for influence on policy including rent laws.

• Swedish government collapse: So what happens now?
• TIMELINE: The key events that led to the Swedish government’s collapse

Social Democrats lose power in stronghold

The same day that Löfven lost his no-confidence vote, another historic shift of power happened in Västmanland, where his party the centre-left Social Democrats lost control of the town of Surahammar for the first time. Previously the Centre and Left Party had propped up the Social Democrats in the council for seven years, but earlier this year the Centre Party were cut out of that coalition, and a subsequent Social Democrat attempt to take charge with a minority coalition and change the structure of some municipal committees failed.

Now a coalition consisting of the traditional right-of-centre parties (the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, the Liberal Party and the Centre Party) together with the far-right Sweden Democrats will take power.

Swedish vocabulary: coalition – koalition

Sweden to investigate forced overseas adoptions

The government is launching an inquiry to look into adoptions where children were brought to Sweden from other countries, after revelations that several such adoptions were carried out against the wishes of the children’s families.

Adoptions from Chile and China will be the focus of the inquiry, Minister of Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren told Dagens Nyheter, but other countries may be added. 

Swedish vocabulary: inquiry – utredning

Where is Sweden up to with the Covid-19 vaccine?

As of Tuesday morning, the region of Stockholm had passed the milestone of issuing a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to one million residents, making up more than half of the capital region’s total adult population. Vaccine slots are currently available for people aged over 35 (or born in 1986) in Stockholm, while Västra Götaland expanded vaccine availability to over-40s (and people born in 1981) as of Tuesday. The region of Norrbotten meanwhile has invited all over-18s to book their vaccine.

Find out the situation in your region here.

Swedish vocabulary: milestone – milstolpe