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Sweden parties reach budget deal to avoid snap election | Sweden parties reach budget deal to avoid snap election |
(35 minutes later) | |
Sweden's left-of-centre government has reached a deal with the main opposition resulting in a minority government and avoiding the need for snap elections. | Sweden's left-of-centre government has reached a deal with the main opposition resulting in a minority government and avoiding the need for snap elections. |
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven called early polls after losing a budget vote about three months into his term. | Prime Minister Stefan Lofven called early polls after losing a budget vote about three months into his term. |
Under the deal, Mr Lofven will follow the opposition's budget next year, although he can make some changes. | Under the deal, Mr Lofven will follow the opposition's budget next year, although he can make some changes. |
The government failed to push through its budget when the far-right Sweden Democrats sided with the opposition. | The government failed to push through its budget when the far-right Sweden Democrats sided with the opposition. |
The Sweden Democrats emerged as a power broker after September's elections. The election - called for 22 March - would have been Sweden's first early poll since 1958. | |
Deal until 2022 | Deal until 2022 |
Speaking during a press conference in Stockholm on Saturday, PM Lofven said that he was pleased to have reached a deal. | Speaking during a press conference in Stockholm on Saturday, PM Lofven said that he was pleased to have reached a deal. |
"Sweden has a tradition of solving difficult problems," he told reporters. | "Sweden has a tradition of solving difficult problems," he told reporters. |
"I am happy that... Sweden can be governed." | "I am happy that... Sweden can be governed." |
The deal was reached between Mr Lofven's centre-left Social Democrats and Greens Alliance, and the four-party centre-right group known as Alliance. | The deal was reached between Mr Lofven's centre-left Social Democrats and Greens Alliance, and the four-party centre-right group known as Alliance. |
Mr Lofven said the document, called "The December Agreement" will remain in force until 2022. | Mr Lofven said the document, called "The December Agreement" will remain in force until 2022. |
It commits the opposition to abstain from voting against the government's budget proposals starting from April 2015 onwards. | It commits the opposition to abstain from voting against the government's budget proposals starting from April 2015 onwards. |
It also co-ordinates the parties' polices on pensions, defence and energy issues. | It also co-ordinates the parties' polices on pensions, defence and energy issues. |
Mr Lofven's Social Democrats formed a minority government with the Greens in September but between them they have only 138 seats in the 349-seat parliament. | Mr Lofven's Social Democrats formed a minority government with the Greens in September but between them they have only 138 seats in the 349-seat parliament. |
The Sweden Democrats became the country's third largest party, with 13% of the vote. Their main demand has been the reversal of Sweden's liberal immigration laws. | |
Sweden has offered permanent residence to all Syrians fleeing the conflict and has the highest rate of asylum applications per capita of any European Union country. | Sweden has offered permanent residence to all Syrians fleeing the conflict and has the highest rate of asylum applications per capita of any European Union country. |
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