Swedish election results confirmed: Government loses parliamentary majority

Swedish vote confirmed: Gov’t loses majority

STOCKHOLM — Final results have confirmed that Sweden’s center-right government has lost its control of Parliament in a national election.

After a recount of all votes, the Election Authority said Thursday that Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt’s four-party alliance won 173 of the 349 seats, two short of a majority.

The left-wing opposition got 156 seats in Sunday’s vote. The far-right Sweden Democrats hold the balance of power with 20 seats.

Reinfeldt needs support from the opposition to avoid having to rely on the Sweden Democrats, who are shunned by mainstream parties for their anti-immigration policies.

The uncertainty has overshadowed Reinfeldt’s historic win: no other center-right leader has been re-elected after serving a full term.