Katja Nyberg’s Departure Causes Swedish Coalition to Lose Parliamentary Majority

Katja Nyberg, a member of the Sweden Democrats (SD), has left the party to become a political independent, resulting in significant political ramifications. This move caused Tidösamarbetet, the coalition government in Sweden, to lose its majority in the Riksdag. Following her departure, the coalition's mandates dropped from 176 to 173, falling short of the 175 required for a majority, while the opposition holds 170 mandates alongside six political independents including Nyberg.

Linda Lindberg, SD's group leader, criticized Nyberg's departure as showing "a lack of respect for both the party and its voters," underscoring the internal tensions caused by this event. The coalition had previously relied on a slim majority to push through legislation since the 2022 elections, where Socialdemokraterna secured 107 seats, SD obtained 73, and Moderaterna held 68.

The departure follows an incident where Nyberg was stopped by police with narcotics detected in her blood. However, political scientist Erik Wångmar suggests that this scandal is unlikely to impact voter trust in the Sweden Democrats. He points out that despite prior scandals involving SD politicians, the party's base remains largely resilient to such controversies.

The loss of a parliamentary majority adds new complexity to the Swedish political landscape. Tidösamarbetet must now navigate governing with a fragile mandate, potentially requiring negotiation with other parties or independents. Nyberg’s independent status adds to the list of political independents, raising questions about future parliamentary dynamics.

As the coalition grapples with this setback, the incident has sparked debates on party loyalty, voter trust, and the stability of Sweden's current government coalition. The coming weeks will likely reveal how this change affects policy-making and coalition cohesion in the Riksdag.