FACTBOX-Sweden's first female PM faces challenges, election in 2022

Sweden's parliament confirmed Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson as prime minister for the second time in five days on Monday. Lawmakers first approved her appointment last week, but Sweden's first female premier had to quit hours later when her coalition collapsed. WHO IS MAGDALENA ANDERSSON?


Reuters | Updated: 29-11-2021 20:49 IST | Created: 29-11-2021 20:49 IST
FACTBOX-Sweden's first female PM faces challenges, election in 2022

Sweden's parliament confirmed Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson as prime minister for the second time in five days on Monday. Lawmakers first approved her appointment last week, but Sweden's first female premier had to quit hours later when her coalition collapsed.

WHO IS MAGDALENA ANDERSSON? - Andersson was an elite swimmer as a youth.

- She graduated from the prestigious Stockholm School of Economics before being recruited into politics by former prime minister Goran Persson. - Andersson was deputy head of the tax agency between 2009 and 2012 while the Social Democrats were out of office.

- She was finance minister from 2014 until her selection as PM. POLITICAL SITUATION

- Andersson takes over as prime minister at a time of political fragmentation. - Her single-party, minority government will only command 100 seats in the 349-seat parliament.

- She will also have to live with a budget imposed on her by the opposition. - Sweden is due to hold a national election in Sept. 2022 with politics essentially deadlocked.

- Most parties are united only in their desire to stop the populist, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats from influencing policy. CHALLENGES

- The country has been rocked by regular gangland shootings. Some right-wing politicians have sought to blame these on immigration. - The pandemic exposed shortfalls in Sweden's much-vaunted welfare system, particularly in elderly care. The Social Democrats have promised to restore the welfare state and roll back privatisation, particularly in education.

- Sweden has a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2045 and will need to speed up the pace of action on climate change to reach that goal. FIRST WOMAN PM IN SWEDEN

- Despite championing equality, Sweden has lagged neighbour Norway by 40 years in appointing a female prime minister. Finland got its first female premier in 2003 and Denmark in 2011. - Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female prime minister when she was elected to lead Sri Lanka in 1960.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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