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Sweden's first female PM tenders resignation hours after appointment

The Xinhua reported that shortly after Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson was elected by Parliament Sweden's first female prime minister on Wednesday, she tendered her resignation faced with the harsh reality of having to lead a minority coalition government.
Just hours after she was elected prime minister, Parliament (Riksdag) passed the opposition's budget proposal prompting Andersson's coalition partner the Green Party to pull its support. This, in turn, forced Andersson to announce her resignation.
Wednesday's events were a result of the inconclusive outcome of the 2018 elections, which led to a lengthy process of finding a government in a political landscape where certain parties do everything in their power to block their ideological opponents from having any form of influence.

In comparison, the election of Andersson was a breeze. To be elected prime minister, she only needed a majority of lawmakers in the 349-seat Riksdag not voting against her. She was backed by 117 but rejected by 174, with 57 deputies abstaining. One deputy was absent.
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Andersson's election followed an 11th-hour deal with the Left Party, which demanded a raise in pensions for around 700,000 of the poorest pensioners in return for not pressing the red button.
However, later in the day the ruling coalition's budget proposal was voted down in favor of the budget proposed jointly by the Moderate Party, the Sweden Democrats and the Christian Democrats.
This came after the Center Party, which accepted Andersson as prime minister in an attempt to shut out the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, decided not to vote for the government's budget proposal, as they saw the deal as too sharp a turn to the left despite the fact that the government had also made concessions to appease the Center Party.
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Andersson, who since 2014 has served as finance minister under former Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, said that she could lead the country with the opposition's budget, describing it as requiring only minor tweaks. However, the Green Party was of a different opinion.
After the Riksdag passed the opposition's budget, the Greens announced that they would leave the government as they could not stand behind a budget negotiated by the Sweden Democrats.
The Riksdag will now have to elect a new prime minister. The Green Party has said they would support Andersson, who in turn said she was prepared to lead a single-party government.
Source: xinhua
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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