Sweden's First Woman PM Magdalena Andersson Resigns Hours After Making History

Sweden was the last Nordic country to have elected a woman to head it.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@sweden.se)

Just hours after making history on Wednesday, 24 November, Sweden's first-ever woman prime minister and Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson, resigned from her post after her coalition partner quit the government. This came after her budget failed to pass in the parliament.

"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," the Social Democratic leader said, reported BBC.

Sweden was the last Nordic country to have elected a woman to head it.

What Happened?

On 21 November, the country's parliament approved Andersson as prime minister, replacing Stefan Lofven.

The 54-year-old former finance minister secured the post despite not having a majority of votes in her favour. According to Al Jazeera, a total of 117 members voted for her, while 174 voted against her and 57 abstained.

"If women are only allowed to vote but are never elected to the highest office, democracy is not complete," Amineh Kakabaveh, an independent lawmaker had said, reported news agency AP. "There is something symbolic in this decision," she had added.

Under the Swedish system, a candidate does not need the support of a majority in the parliament.

According to the BBC, her election followed an 11th-hour deal with the opposition left party, in return for a promise of higher pensions for the citizens.

However, hours later, her coalition partner said it could not accept a budget "drafted for the first time with the far-right," they added, BBC reported.

The Democrat leader was a former junior swimming champion from the city of Uppsala. She began her career in 1996, as an adviser to former Prime Minister Goran Persson.

Andersson told reporters that she hoped to become a prime minister again – as a single party government leader.