Harsh Reality of Politics: Sweden’s first female Prime Minister resigns just hours after appointment

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• Nov 25, 2021 | moderator

Stockholm: Hit by the harsh reality of having to lead a minority coalition government, Sweden’s Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson was elected by Parliament as the first female Prime Minister. But hours after her appointment, Andersson tendered her resignation.

Just hours after she was elected the Prime Minister on Wednesday, Parliament (Riksdag) passed the opposition's budget proposal prompting Andersson's coalition partner the Green Party to pull its support. This, in turn, forced Andersson to announce her resignation, reported Xinhua news agency.

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Wednesday's events were a result of the inconclusive outcome of the 2018 elections, which led to a lengthy process of finding a government in a political landscape where certain parties do everything in their power to block their ideological opponents from having any form of influence.

In comparison, the election of Andersson was a breeze. To be elected prime minister, she only needed a majority of lawmakers in the 349-seat Riksdag not voting against her. She was backed by 117 but rejected by 174, with 57 deputies abstaining. One deputy was absent.

Andersson's election followed an 11th-hour deal with the Left Party, which demanded a raise in pensions for around 7,00,000 of the poorest pensioners in return for not pressing the red button.

However, later in the day the ruling coalition's budget proposal was voted down in favour of the budget proposed jointly by the Moderate Party, the Sweden Democrats and the Christian Democrats.

Andersson, who since 2014 has served as the finance minister under former Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, said that she could lead the country with the opposition's budget, describing it as requiring only minor tweaks. However, the Green Party had a different opinion.