text: Swedish Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven speaks during a news conference at the Swedish parliament in Stockholm, Sweden October 29, 2018. TT News Agency/Jonas Ekstromer via REUTERS
  
  OSLO (Reuters) - Discussions led by the Swedish Parliament’s speaker on Tuesday made progress in breaking a political deadlock that has gripped Sweden since an inconclusive national election seven weeks ago, the caretaker prime minister told Reuters.
  
  “Today’s discussions definitely moved us closer to a solution,” Stefan Lofven, the leader of the Social Democrats, said after a session of the Nordic Council held at the Norwegian Parliament.
  
  “The solution is not close in time. I do not believe we will have a government in a few days. But of course by discussing and exchanging arguments, it is of course a better way to get the process going than not talking,” he said.
  
  Lofven on Monday abandoned efforts to form a government.