Sweden's prime minister to step down following no confidence vote

Stefan Löfven, Sweden's prime minister since 2014 and leader of the center-left Social Democrats, has been ousted after a no confidence vote in parliament, reports The Local Sweden.

The big picture: After a Sept. 9 election saw the establishment Social Democrats finish with their lowest vote share since World War I, the Swedish government was left in a state of flux, with no party receiving an absolute majority. The turmoil has been exacerbated by the rise of the far-right, anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats, who had their best election performance ever and now wield significant power in parliament. Leaders of the center-right and center-left coalitions have ruled out working with SD, who have roots in neo-Nazism, but the ousting of Löfven has raised more questions about the potential need for cooperation.