The resignation of Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has thrown open a leadership race in the country as it grapples with a rise in violent crime and a potential new wave of Covid-19.
Analysts expect a “turbulent autumn for Swedish politics” as parliament squabbles over the budget with the government holding a fragile majority.
Mr Lofven’s Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson is seen as an early frontrunner after Sweden’s strong finances helped it to weather the pandemic.
Health Minister Lena Hallengren is another potential candidate for the top job, after Mr Lofven announced on Sunday he would step down in November.
Sweden has attracted much scrutiny by rejecting lockdowns and mostly relying on voluntary measures to combat the spread of the virus.
The strategy has had mixed results, with Sweden’s death rate lower than in many European countries but higher than that of its Nordic neighbours.
Public health officials issued a warning on Monday that the virus was likely to spread more quickly in the autumn with more people needing hospital care.
“All our three scenarios point to increased spread during the autumn,” the public health agency said.
A party congress in November will elect a successor to Mr Lofven as leader of the Social Democrats. That person will then seek approval from parliament.
A great deal can change in Swedish politics
Nicholas Aylott
The position in parliament is precarious after Mr Lofven lost a confidence vote in June but was reinstated when his opponents failed to form a majority.
Nordic bank Nordea said in a commentary that Mr Lofven’s resignation “could make the already tricky political situation even more complicated”.
Passing a budget for 2022 will require difficult negotiations between smaller parties who tolerate Mr Lofven’s government.
Sweden faces a challenge to fix its cherished welfare state after what King Carl XVI Gustaf described as a failure to protect older people from Covid-19.
“Much suggests that it will be a turbulent autumn for Swedish politics,” said Nordea analyst Torbjorn Isaksson.
Sweden’s next election is due in September 2022. The previous poll in 2018 ended in stalemate after gains for the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats.
The rise of the far-right party, which blames liberal immigration policies for a rise in violent crime, makes it difficult to form majorities in parliament.
The party has spent recent days warning against an influx of migrants from Afghanistan and raising fears of extremists seeking terrorist training there.
“Sweden faces numerous contemporary policy challenges, not least a rather horrifying level of criminal violence,” said political scientist Nicholas Aylott in an analysis of Mr Lofven’s tenure.
“A great deal can change in Swedish politics now that he's had enough.”
Runners and riders
An early poll for newspaper Aftonbladet showed Ms Andersson favoured by 26 per cent of voters, with the next-most popular candidate on 13 per cent.
Ms Andersson has yet to confirm whether she will seek to replace Mr Lofven. She or Ms Hallengren would be Sweden’s first female prime minister.
Fellow ministers Mikael Damberg, Anders Ygeman, Morgan Johansson and Ibrahim Baylan have also been tipped to run.
Mr Lofven said in his resignation speech that he hoped a new leader would give the Social Democrats fresh momentum.
“Everything has an end and I want to give my successor the very best conditions,” he said.
“I’m also convinced that a new party leader will give the party and the labour movement new energy, which will be needed.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
