Stockholm — Sweden faced political deadlock on Monday after the far-right made gains in legislative elections that left the question of who will form the next government up in the air. The prime minister is usually the leader of the party with the most votes, but Sweden’s fragmented political landscape after Sunday’s vote makes it impossible to predict who will form the next government, a process likely to take weeks. As expected, neither Social Democratic Prime Minister Stephan Lofven’s centre-left bloc nor the centre-right opposition garnered a majority. The far-right Sweden Democrats, with roots in the neo-Nazi movement, solidified their position as third-biggest party, though they have yet to shake their pariah status. Far-right parties have gained strength in elections in recent years in Europe, including in Germany and Italy. Far-right leaders in Austria, Italy and France hailed the strides made by the Sweden Democrats.

"However the dramatic bloc battle plays out it look...

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