This chapter is a comparison of the leadership capital formation process of two Moderate party prime ministers, Carl Bildt and Fredrik Reinfeldt. Their government formation challenges were similar but their strategies differed and the ultimate outcomes—electoral defeat for Bildt and re-election for Reinfeldt—suggest superior “capital management” in the latter case. The findings, however, show that the ability to maintain support for the entire coalition is core for electoral success, and that this task is paradoxical for a leader of both a government and the senior coalition partner. Also, capitalizing on major events during the term in office is crucial as illustrated by the similar exposure to financial crises by the two governments and the relative success of the Reinfeldt government in exhibiting strength and efficacy under pressure.
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