Peter Hultqvist’s move comes as he was taking part in televised debate when he said he would not stay in his job if he did not support Brexit
New Swedish Prime Mminister resigns hours after being voted in
The prime minister of Sweden, Peter Hultqvist, has resigned just one day after being appointed following the resignation of Stefan Löfven.
Hultqvist cited family reasons for leaving, before reading out a prepared statement at a press conference held amid media storm in which he said he wanted to step down from the post because he wanted to be a good father.
The move comes as Hultqvist was taking part in televised debate when he said he would not stay in his job if he did not support Brexit.
“If a TV programme wants to ask me a question, I’m prepared to answer it with the knowledge that they agree with me and not just with my opinion,” he said.
“But this includes the issue of the EU and Brexit. How the situation plays out after we leave the EU, the biggest single thing in our lives, is what we’re going to have to be aware of. I do not want Sweden to be a divided people.”
The prime minister’s resignation, announced on his Facebook page, has led to jubilation among Britain’s Conservative MPs.
Shayne Murphy, a leading member of the Conservatives in the European parliament, tweeted: “Congratulations to Peter Hultqvist on his resignation. He obviously wishes to become the next foreign minister of Sweden. That would be a big improvement on Sylvi Listhaug who stands in no way for our national interests.”
The future of the foreign minister, Margot Wallström, has also been thrown into doubt after the Social Democrats’ Swedish chapter’s secretary general commented on social media that she would definitely “retire” rather than stay on as Sweden’s foreign minister.
Her party has been urging her to quit.