what do we know about MAGDALENA ANDERSSON, WHO COULD BECOME THE FIRST WOMAN PRIME MINISTER
A question of hours for Magdalena Andersson? The 54-year-old Swede is expected to become the country's new prime minister on November 24 following Stefan Löfven's resignation.
This economist, former high-level swimmer and fan of “heavy metal” had been elected by acclamation as head of the Social Democratic Party a few weeks earlier in Gothenburg, when she was the only candidate. If all goes according to plan, she will become the first female Prime Minister in Swedish history. The only condition is to win a vote in Parliament on Wednesday.
"I accepted to be president of the party because I know that Sweden can do better, and that I know that it is us, the Social Democrats, who must lead Sweden forward," he said. - she launched on November 4 to applause, saying she was "honored" by her new function.
"Now we will continue this fight, comrades, this fight that I look forward to leading to govern with you," continued the new head of the party.
Former Minister of Finance, she is known to be wary of big spending. She does not hesitate to define herself as the "most stingy politician in Europe". His outspokenness earned him another nickname, given by Swedish public television: "the bulldozer".
ELECTIONS THAT ARE ANNOUNCED TO BE TIGHT
Stefan Löfven, at the end of his career after seven years as Prime Minister and weakened by a political crisis at the beginning of the summer, announced in August that he would leave his post in November, with less than a year of elections which will end. 'announced disputed in September 2022.
This departure made it possible to ensure a succession in view of the electoral campaign, while the Social Democrats are threatened in the polls.
Magdalena Andersson will notably have to counter the conservative Moderates party led by Ulf Kristersson. The latter has joined forces with the anti-immigration Swedish Democrats (SD) party and is now ready to govern with its support in Parliament.
A major political shift in Sweden at the end of a decade of breakthrough by the far right, fueled by hostility to large inflows of refugees, before a turn of the screw decided by the Social Democratic government in 2015-2016.
Stefan Löfven, who is still Prime Minister, has still not announced the exact date of his resignation, which should trigger the parliamentary process of electing Magdalena Andersson.
But the political balances in the Swedish Parliament are so tight that the Social Democrats must secure the joint support of their environmental allies and of two other parties: the Left Party and the Center Party.
Often divergent interests that Magdalena Andersson will have to reassure so as not to be blocked in her march towards power. Despite being a clear champion of gender equality, Sweden is the last Nordic country to never have a female prime minister.
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