Sweden: Magdalena Andersson becomes country’s first female prime minister

Sweden: Magdalena Andersson becomes the country’s first female prime minister.

She is also the party leader for the Social Democrats.

MAGDALENA ANDERSSON has been named as the new prime minister of Sweden – becoming the first female to lead the country.

Ms Andersson succeeds Stefan Löfven both as prime minister of Sweden and party leader for the Social Democrats. Magdalena Andersson is preceded by 33 men on the prime minister’s post.

Andersson was elected as Sweden’s new prime minister by the Riksdag. Although she did not receive a majority of “yes” votes, she also did not receive a majority of “no” votes, which under the Riksdag’ principle of negative parliamentarism was sufficient to elect her as prime minister.

Although, until the announcement today (November 24), Sweden had not had a female in a top political position, the country has been viewed for decades as one of Europe’s most progressive countries when it comes to gender relations.

Ms Andersson is the second woman to be elected Social Democratic party leader. She was elected leader on November 4 becoming the party’s second female leader after Mona Sahlin.

She has been Sweden’s Minister for Finance since 2014 and has long been active in the Social Democratic Party.

The 54-year-old has a master’s degree in economics and a job as Deputy Director-General at the Swedish Tax Agency.

On November 10, Prime Minister Löfven formally resigned from office and as part of the government formation process, the Speaker of the Riksdag held talks with all party leaders on November 11. Shortly after the Speaker tasked Andersson with forming a government, giving her one week.

She will assume office formally on November 26, 2021.

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