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Sweden’s first female Prime Minister resigns. Again.

by News Desk September 15, 2022
Sweden's first female Prime Minister resigns. Again.
(Photo by Raul Mee)

Sweden’s first female Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson who was “accepted” into office through a coalition government has resigned. Again.

Andersson was “accepted” by the country’s Riksdag through a technicality where the majority did not vote against her. The 54-year-old who was the former finance minister of the country had an uphill task to keep her position secure as her Party did not hold a majority in the Riksdag.

In November, out of 349 members, 174 voted against Andersson. Only 117 voted in her favor, and 57 abstained, consequently letting her win by a single vote. She would never have been PM had just one more member voted against her instead of abstaining.

Magdalena then resigned just hours after The Conservative reported her historic win as her coalition partners rejected her budget and accepted the opposition’s budget instead.

As the Green Party refused to vote in favor of her proposed budget, Andersson no longer had the support necessary to keep her government afloat. She was left with no choice but to resign.

If all that drama wasn’t enough right after that historic win, Andersson was appointed as Prime Minister again after a few days. Once again, never getting the majority vote in her favor but “accepted” through the same technical means where the majority did not vote against her but abstained instead.

Just 101 members voted in her favor, 75 abstained, and 173 voted against her. She was appointed because the majority out of the 349 members did not vote against her.

The major setback for Sweden’s first female Prime Minister

Magdalena Andersson’s self-proclaimed “Feminist Government” hoped to secure the popular vote by promising to build “climate friendly” projects. However, with the rise in gang violence and crime in Sweden, her coalition government that never had the majority in the hung Parliament lost to the coalition of Conservative parties in the elections.

Her government was defeated in Sunday’s elections 176 to 173 with 99% of the votes counted. Moderate Party’s Ulf Kristersson who advocated against the rising gang violence is now adamant to form government with his coalition partners.

Although, Andersson’s Party gained more seats and is the largest Party in Parliament, the coalition of the country’s Conservatives have more seats together to get their candidate elected or “accepted” through the same technical means.

Magdalena has already accepted defeat even though the vote is being recounted – as per Swedish law. The Conservative parties have promised to make the country “safe again,” combating crime and illegal immigration along with asylum-seeking on self-identification and religious grounds.

The disconnect between the Swedish Left and the Public

Sweden that has always known to be Leftist (more “Progressive” and “Woke” more recently) has always favored the center and left wing Parties in elections.

The victory of the Conservative coalition speaks volumes of the disconnect between the political elite and the public.

Though, the left wing parties haven’t lost too many seats, their popularity has been dwindling. Their own popularity however, is not their biggest concern. The rising popularity of Conservative/Right parties that are now gaining momentum in the Parliament is their biggest fear as that could keep them out of government for decades if the Conservatives manage to control crime and illegal immigration, along with the other issues they have promised to fix.

Getting the public’s support vocally and in protests is one thing but getting your members elected into Parliament is another. It speaks volumes of how tired Swedes are and what they see as real issues and threats.

Magdalena’s Party is out of office for the first time since 2014. This is a major setback for their goals, and the hopes of the leftist parties who wanted strict action on climate change and more lenient immigration policies and the same humane treatment of criminals.