Sweden's parliament ousted Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a no-confidence vote today, giving the Social Democrat leader a week to resign and hand the speaker the job of finding a new government, or call a snap election.<br />'' <br />''The nationalist Sweden Democrats had seized the chance to call the vote after the formerly communist Left Party withdrew support for the centre-left government over a plan to ease rent controls for new-build apartments.<br />'' <br />''Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Akesson told the parliament that the government was harmful and historically weak, adding, "It should never have come into power."<br />'' <br />''The no-confidence motion, which required 175 votes in the 349-seat parliament to pass, was supported by 181 lawmakers.<br />''Lofven, 63, is the first Swedish Prime Minister to be ousted by a no-confidence motion put forward by the opposition. He was due to hold a news conference later on Monday.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">A new government – or a caretaker administration – would sit only until a parliamentary election scheduled for September next year.</span><br />