Sweden’s prime minister Stefan Lofven resigned on Wednesday, paving the way in which for Magdalena Andersson to succeed him and grow to be the nation’s first girl premier.
Ms Andersson, 54, the present finance minister, was elected final week to guide the ruling Swedish Social Democrats Occasion forward of the final elections scheduled for September 2022. She’s going to grow to be the nation’s premier if she wins a vote in parliament subsequent week.
Whereas Sweden has been a trademark of gender equality, no girl has led the nation thus far. As compared, all different Nordic nations, together with Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, have seen ladies heads of presidency.
As a way to safe her affirmation, the Swedish Social Democrats want the assist of each their Inexperienced Occasion coalition companions and the Left and Centre events, reported AFP. The Left and Centre events mentioned on Wednesday that they are going to assist Ms Andersson subsequent week.
Mr Lofven, 63, who will stay as caretaker prime minister until his alternative, advised reporters that he expects Parliament to elect Ms Andersson easily. “The Swedish folks need a fast transition,” he mentioned.
Mr Lofven was elected by the Swedish Social Democrats in 2012 and led it to victory within the 2014 common elections, when the occasion got here to energy after eight years in opposition.
“It has been seven unbelievable years, and I’m very proud as a working boy to have had the privilege of main our nation throughout these years,” he mentioned after resigning on Wednesday.
In June, he turned the nation’s first prime minister to lose a confidence movement in Parliament. Nonetheless, he managed to kind a coalition authorities that was the identical because the earlier one and prevented a snap election.
He had mentioned in August that he would resign in November to offer his successor time to arrange for the upcoming elections.
Nonetheless, the Swedish Social Democrats’ return to energy might not be as clean because it faces low approval scores forward of elections. The opposition Moderates have inched nearer to the Swedish Social Democrats in recent times.
The Social Democrats at the moment maintain 100 of Parliament’s 349 seats.