The Swedish Centre Party's party leadership election was held at an extraordinary party meeting on 2 February 2023 in Helsingborg. The Centre Party nominated Muharrem Demirok to succeed to outgoing party leader Annie Lööf.^[1]

This article needs to be updated. (January 2023)

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Quick Facts

2023 Centre Party leadership election

2 February 2023

Nominations by the party districts.

Party Chairman before election Annie Lööf Elected Party Chairman Muharrem Demirok

Close

In the 2022 general election, the Centre Party received 6.7% of the vote, which was a setback from the 2018 election result (-1.9) and the record election to the European Parliament in 2019 (-4.1). The party also went to the polls to support Magdalena Andersson as prime minister, and possibly join her government.^[2] In the election, the government lost to Ulf Kristersson's right-wing bloc.

On 15 September 2022, the then incumbent party leader Annie Lööf announced her resignation, citing that she was dissatisfied with the election results and that she wanted more time for her daughters and family, but the decision "was also made due to the hatred and threats directed at her person".^[3][4] During her party leadership, Annie Lööf managed to both lead a party with opinion figures during the parliamentary deadlock in 2013 and as the first woman to probe the possibilities for a new government by the Speaker (2018).^[5]

The election committee announced on 23 September that a new party leader will be elected at an extraordinary party meeting on 2 February, in connection with the party's municipal days in Helsingborg. The process will be kept open, where members, circles, districts and sister organizations can nominate their candidates until 14 October, after which the selection committee will present the possible candidates.^[1]

One of the critical issues for the incoming party leader and management has been considered by observers to be the future relationship and possible cooperation with the Social Democrats. Since the January agreement, the Centre Party has had closer cooperation with the Social Democrats and supported the appointment of the governments Löfven II, Löfven III and Andersson. The question is whether the party should return to the former alliance cooperation and support a right-wing government, even if it cooperates with the Sweden Democrats, which during Lööf's party leadership was a red line.^[6][7][8]

The advance favorite for new party leader was considered to be the former economic and political spokesperson Emil Källström, but on 16 September he declined a candidacy..^[7][9][10]

On 30 September, MEP Emma Wiesner announced her candidacy.^[11] On 14 October, the last day for nominations and the same day that the Tidö Agreement was presented, the housing policy spokesperson also announced to Member of Parliament Alireza Akhondi that he is available as party leader.^[12]