FACTBOX-Sweden’s first female Prime Minister faces challenges, election 2022
Sweden’s Riksdag confirmed the Social Democrats’ leader Magdalena Andersson as Prime Minister for the second time in five days on Monday. Legislators first approved her appointment last week, but Sweden’s first female prime minister had to resign 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 she was recruited into politics by former Prime Minister Göran Persson. Andersson was deputy head of the tax office between 2009 and 2012 while the Social Democrats were away.
– She was Minister of Finance from 2014 until the election as Prime Minister. POLITICAL SITUATION
Andersson takes over as prime minister in a time of political division. – Her one-party minority government will only command 100 seats in parliament with 349 seats.
– She will also have to live with a budget imposed on her by the opposition. – Sweden will hold a national election in September 2022 with the policy in principle locked.
– Most parties are united only in their desire to stop the populist, anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats from influencing politics. CHALLENGES
– The country has been shaken by ordinary gangland shootings. Some right-wing politicians have sought to blame them for immigration. – The pandemic revealed shortcomings in Sweden’s highly acclaimed welfare system, especially in elderly care. The Social Democrats have promised to restore the welfare state and roll back privatization, especially in education.
– Sweden has a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2045 and will need to increase the pace of action against climate change to achieve that goal. FIRST WOMAN PM IN SWEDEN
– Despite Sweden fighting for gender equality, Sweden has lagged behind its neighbor Norway by 40 years when it comes to appointing a female prime minister. Finland got its first female prime minister 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.
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