Sweden’s Departing Premier Paves a Path for Finance Chief
- Long-time leader Lofven said he will quit politics in November
- Magdalena Andersson may become country’s first female premier
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The resignation of Sweden’s Stefan Lofven brings the largest Nordic economy a step closer to its first-ever female prime minister, and with it the task of fixing an ailing political system.
Lofven unexpectedly announced in a Sunday speech that he will step down in November after seven years in power and also quit as the leader of Social Democrats, which dominated Swedish politics for the past century. His minority coalition faced an autumn struggle to pass next year’s budget and the prospect of a defeat from the conservative-nationalist opposition in the 2022 elections.