The minority center-left government ruling Sweden on Saturday, Dec 27, announced it has reached a deal with the opposition that will avert what would have been the country's first snap elections in more than half a century, AFP reported.

Prime Minister Stefan Loefven, who this month had called early elections after a small far-right party with the balance of power in parliament torpedoed his fledgling government's budget, announced the deal with the center-right opposition coalition at a press conference.