Swedish PM Lofven resigns after no-confidence vote

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven

* Speaker to seek new PM with backing of parliament * If efforts fail, snap elections will be called * Centre-left govt fell after losing no-confidence vote Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Monday he was resigning, handing the speaker of parliament the job of finding a new premier after the Social Democrat leader lost a vote of no-confidence last week. Lofven had been given a deadline of midnight on Monday to either step down or call a snap election after losing the June 21 confidence vote when the Left Party withdrew its support. He had hoped to find fresh backing in parliament to secure his reappointment. ‘I have requested to be dismissed as prime minister,’ Lofven told a hastily called news conference. ‘It is the most difficult political decision I have ever taken.’