Sweden prime minister resigns over budget defeat

Just hours after her appointment, Sweden's first ever female prime minister Magdalena Andersson has resigned after suffering a budget defeat in parliament. Her coalition partner the Greens has also left the two-party minority government.

The government’s own budget proposal was rejected in favour of one presented by the opposition that includes the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. The vote was 154-143 in favour of the opposition’s budget proposal.

Leader of the Social Democratic party Andersson decided it was best to step down from the



post more than seven hours after she made history by becoming the first woman to lead the country.

Andersson, who was finance minister before briefly becoming prime minister, informed parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlen that she is still interested in leading a Social Democratic one-party government.

After accepting her resignation, the speaker of Sweden’s 349-seat parliament said he will contact Sweden’s eight party leaders to discuss the situation. Today, he will announce the road ahead.