Clock counts down for Swedish PM Lofven as snap election looms

FILE PHOTO: Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven arrives for the second day of a EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium June 25, 2021. Aris Oikonomou/Pool via REUTERS

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden moved closer to a snap election on Monday after fruitless attempts to form a government by both the centre-left and centre-right blocs left Prime Minister Stefan Lofven until the end of the day to resign or call a national vote.

Lofven lost a motion of no-confidence in parliament on June 21 after the Left Party withdrew its support, triggering frenzied talks as both the centre-left and centre-right tried to line up enough support to form a government.