Sweden | Foreign Minister Tobias Billström’s sudden departure causes confusion in Sweden – “Something has happened”

Politics To be left after 25 years Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström told about his decision on Wednesday in the message service X.

Billström has worked as a minister for the past ten years, most recently as the foreign minister of the current government and previously as the immigration minister in the coalition government.

Billström announced his decision as Prime Minister For Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday at the opening of the State Day.

Billström wrote in X that Sweden’s long-running NATO process in particular was “challenging at times”. In addition, he emphasized that the situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine mean that his successor has plenty to do. Billström did not hint at who his successor would be.

Former Swedish Minister of Climate and Environment and politician of the Social Democratic Party Annika Strandhäll described Billström’s announcement as surprising on the message service X on Wednesday.

Strandhäll’s update is also reported Dagens Nyheter (DN).

“It is unique that during the current term of office, a minister in a significant position supporting the prime minister not only leaves his position, but leaves politics completely, even during a very uncertain security situation,” writes Strandhäll, and continues:

“This does leave open questions.”

DN has not reached Billström or Kristersson for comments.

Expressen’s political expert Viktor Barth-Kron writethat Billström lasted eight long years as immigration minister in Sweden’s previous bourgeois government.

According to Barth-Kron, Billsröm’s position was very difficult at the time, and not many people would have lasted as immigration minister for as long.

“The fact that the same Billström is throwing in the towel now, when he has not served as foreign minister for even two years, is very surprising. Especially when his efforts to get NATO membership finally fell through,” Barth-Kron writes.

According to him, Billström has also shown no signs of waning of “political energy”.

“Something has happened.”

Barth-Chron anticipates that the moderate Billström will be followed by a moderate successor, and Kristersson’s task is to find a person who fits the profile: someone who can carry out his duties and not cause too much discord in the party.