Ulf Kristersson

Conservative leader Ulf Kristersson looks set to become Sweden's first prime minister to govern with the support of the far-right following the general ...

Kristersson is married and the father of three daughters adopted from China. At the time however, Kristersson could not have foreseen that by giving his blessing, the far-right would go on to overtake the Moderates as the biggest party on the right and the country’s second-biggest party in Sunday’s election. He has taken occasional breaks from politics to work in communications and as the chairman of the board of an adoption agency. Former Moderates leader and prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt encouraged Swedes to “open their hearts” on the cusp of Europe’s migration in 2014, in one of his last speeches in power. He also campaigned heavily on issues close to the hearts of right-wing and far-right voters, earning him criticism as a milder version of the Sweden Democrats. Back then, Kristersson had vowed he would never negotiate with the nationalist and anti-immigration Sweden Democrats — seen as “pariahs” on the country’s political scene — and subsequently failed to oust the Social Democratic government in power since 2014.

The head of Sweden's Moderate Party, Ulf Kristersson, said on Wednesday he would begin the work of forming a new government after Prime Minister Magdalena ...

The Social Democrats will be at 30.4%. "Therefore my message is that I want to unite, not divide." Kristersson is likely to try and form a government with the Christian Democrats and rely on support in parliament from the Sweden Democrats and Liberals. Kristersson said he would build a government "for all of Sweden and all citizens." The election marks a watershed in Swedish politics with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, a party with roots in the white supremacist fringe, on the threshold of gaining influence over government policy. The Moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats and Liberals appear set to get 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament to the centre-left's 173 seats, according to the latest figures from the election authority.

Once a fringe party shunned by the political establishment, the far-right Sweden Democrats now stand on the cusp of influencing over government policy.

The Sweden Democrats emerged from the country's neo-Nazi movement in the late 1980s and have since struggled to distance themselves from accusations of extremism. Only in December did we actually have a proper coalition, and it was an unstable coalition — one that had a vote of no confidence twice and a change of prime minister." Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Andersson announced her intention to resign and said the right-wing bloc of parties had a one or two seat advantage. "Most opinion polls showed us that it would be a close race in the election, so I was not surprised that it went this way rather than the other way," Andersson said. Kristersson's Moderates had previously ruled out negotiating with the right-wing party. This so-called "blue bloc" includes the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats. Andersson concerned for the years ahead "It is always complicated," she added. The nationalist party campaigned on law-and-order issues Jimmie Akesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, said his party would be a "constructive and driving force" in rebuilding safety in the country, Instead, a right-wing group of parties, led by Ulf Kristersson's center-right Moderates, looks to have won a narrow majority of seats, and will have the first go at forming an administration. - A right-wing group of parties, led by Ulf Kristersson's center-right Moderates, looks to have won a narrow majority of seats, and will have the first go at forming an administration.

Acknowledging her camp's defeat on Wednesday, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced that she would resign.

Then the speaker of the Riksdag, the Swedish parliament, can give Mr. However, the post of Prime Minister will in all likelihood go to Mr. “I now begin the work of forming a new and strong government,” Mr. “Now we will restore order in Sweden!” The Sweden Democrats rose up out of neo-Nazi groups and the “Keep Sweden Swedish” movement in the early 1990s, entering parliament in 2010 with 5.7% of votes. Speaking at a press conference, Ms.