Sweden’s first female Prime Minister (PM), Magdalena Andersson, resigned less than 12 hours after being appointed to the position, after the Parliament rejected her coalition government’s budget bill. After her budget proposal was rejected, the parliament passed a budget proposed by a coalition of conservative, right-wing parties, which pushed the Green party to withdraw its support from the Social Democratic Party-led coalition government, forcing Andersson to resign.
Andersson said, “I have told the speaker that I wish to resign,” telling the speaker of the Parliament that she will attempt to be reappointed as a single-party leader. She said, “There is a constitutional practice that a coalition government should resign when one party quits. I don’t want to lead a government whose legitimacy will be questioned.”
Speaker Andreas Norlén accepted Andersson’s resignation and said he will contact party leaders to discuss the next steps.
Andersson, who replaced Stefan Löfven, was announced the leader on Wednesday after she secured a last-minute deal with the Left Party in exchange for a rise in pensions. She also secured support from the Green Party for her nomination as the PM. Of the 349 members of the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, 174 members voted against her nomination as PM, 57 abstained, and the remaining 117 members supported Andersson.
However, while Andersson’s nomination was approved, her budget proposal was rejected. Lawmakers instead voted for the budget presented by conservative opposition parties, including the Moderates, Christian Democrats, and the far-right Sweden Democrats. The right-wing opposition’s budget negotiated by the three conservative parties was passed with 154 votes to 143.
The Green Party criticised the budget, referring to it as “differentiating between people, butchering the environmental budget, and increasing emissions.” The Greens then withdrew their support for the Social Democratic Party candidate, saying they would not support a budget drafted with the far-right Sweden Democrats, and quit the coalition, prompting Andersson’s resignation.
The collapse of Andersson’s government is therefore due in large part to the Green Party’s withdrawal of support and its rejection of her party’s budget. However, Green Party leader Per Bolund said in a press conference that it was not the Greens’ goal to create a situation in which far-right parties were able to pass their budget proposal at the expense of the Social Democratic Party.
Until a new government is formed, Löfven will head the caretaker government. Andersson’s resignation has stoked political uncertainty, with Sweden reeling under significant challenges, including gang violence and shootings. The country is also set to hold the next general elections on September 11.
The Green Party and the Left Party have said they will support Andersson in any new confirmation vote in the Parliament, while the Centre Party has said it will abstain. Centre Party leader Annie Loof said, “The Centre Party will open the door for her (Andersson) to be prime minister. We will make sure, again, that Sweden can have a government that is not dependent on the Sweden Democrats.” While these parties were unable to agree on a budget, they are united in their goal of keeping the Sweden Democrats, a populist, anti-immigration party, from having a role in government.
Sweden’s First Female PM Resigns Hours After Appointment Following Collapse of Coalition
Sweden’s first female Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, was forced to resign after the Greens Party withdrew its support for the coalition government.
November 25, 2021
Sweden's first female PM Magdalena Andersson IMAGE SOURCE: DAILY SABAH