Sweden’s 1st female PM ‘hopes’ to be re-elected after stepping down: ‘It’s about respect’

Removed just hours after being declared as Sweden's first-ever female prime minister, now-ousted Magdalena Andersson that replaced former Prime Minister Stefan Lofven says that she “hopes” to return to power. “A coalition government should resign if a party chooses to leave the government. Despite the fact that the parliamentary situation is unchanged, it needs to be tried again,” Sweden’s ex-Prime Minister said as the 349-seat Swedish Parliament waits for the next political steps in instating the head of the government after Anderson’s Green party’s 74 billion kronor ($8.2bn) budget related to reforms was rejected, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported. 

Do not want to lead govt that 'questions' its legitimacy, says ousted Swedish PM 

Anderson stepped down from her role after suffering a budget defeat in less than 12 hours plunging the country into political uncertainty. Her government’s coalition budget proposal was rejected in favour of the opposition right-wing populist Sweden Democrats with Neo-Nazi roots that received a majority with 154-143, Associated Press reported. The approved budget aims to reduce taxes, increase police salaries and increase money in Sweden's judiciary system. 

"There is a constitutional practice where a coalition government resigns when a party leaves it. For me, it is about respect, but I also do not want to lead a government where there may be grounds to question its legitimacy," Andersson said at a news conference.

"We have a united party behind us saying we can not sit in a government that implements a policy [the Sweden Democrats] negotiated. We must look our voters in the eye and feel pride," Marta Stenevi, Green Party spokesperson said as the party chose to resign from the government, according to Associated Press. 

Sweden’s largest party Green Party abandoned the two-party minority government and Andersson was removed. At least 117 politicians voted in favour of Andersson, meanwhile, 174 rejected her appointment. Over 57 Swedish lawmakers abstained from the voting process while just one remained absent.

Green Party said it was in its “best interests” to scrap the support for Anderson over the budget approval from the opposition party. Although, the ousted Swedish Prime Minister says that she is still interested in leading a social Democrat one-party government. Swedish Parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlen on Wednesday stated that he will hold an emergency meeting with Sweden’s party leaders "to discuss the situation” and decide accordingly how to proceed. Anderson on Nov. 24 stressed that despite that she lost her role as Swedish leader, the decision was in the best interests of the party after the budget defeat.