Sweden’s parliament on Wednesday elected Social Democratic party leader and current Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson as the country’s first woman prime minister after she clinched a last-minute deal securing key support. Andersson will succeed outgoing Prime Minister Stefan Lofven after a total of 117 members of parliament voted for her, while 57 abstained, 174 voted against and one was absent. She had previously received the support of the Social Democrats’ coalition partner the Greens, as well as the Centre Party. Stefan Lofven resigned on November 10 after seven years as prime minister in a widely expected move aimed at giving his successor time to prepare for the country’s September 2022 general election. Despite being a nation that has long championed gender equality, Sweden has never had a woman as prime minister.

Source: The Guardian November 24, 2021 10:37 UTC