Maria Malmer Stenergard | |
---|---|
Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
Assumed office 10 September 2024 | |
Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
Prime Minister | Ulf Kristersson |
Preceded by | Tobias Billström |
Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy | |
In office 18 October 2022 –10 September 2024 | |
Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
Prime Minister | Ulf Kristersson |
Preceded by | Anders Ygeman |
Succeeded by | Johan Forssell |
Member of the Riksdag for Skåne Northern and Eastern | |
Assumed office 29 September 2014 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Kristianstad,Sweden | 23 March 1981
Political party | Moderate Party |
Alma mater | Lund University (BA,LLM) |
Eva Maria Louise Malmer Stenergard (born 23 March 1981) is a Swedish politician and jurist. [1] Since September 2024,she is the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Kristersson cabinet,having previously served as Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy from 2022 to 2024. [2] [3] She has also been a Member of the Riksdag since 2014. [4]
On 18 October 2022,Stenergard was appointed Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy in the cabinet of Ulf Kristersson. This role was seen as critical since migration was one of the key areas the new government was set to focus on. [5]
In 2024,Stenergard announced that Sweden during that year had seen the lowest number of immigrants since 1997,and had for the first time in 50 years had more people migrating from Sweden than immigrating to Sweden. This was in line with the governments policy which she had implemented. [6]
On 10 September 2024,prime minister Ulf Kristersson reshuffled his cabinet. During this reshuffle Stenergard was made Minister for Foreign Affairs succeeding Tobias Billström who had recently resigned. [7] During a press conference later the same day she said she would pursue a foreign policy that prioritized Sweden. [8]
In October 2024,while watching a debate regarding Sweden stance on Israel and the Palestinian West Bank unfold in the Riksdag chamber three Palestine activists threw onions and tomatoes towards her from the Public Gallery. Stenergard retreated from the chamber following the event. The three activists,1 man and 2 women,who had smuggled the objects in through the security controls by hiding them in their clothes,were quickly apprehended by security and removed from the perimeters of the Riksdag. Stenergard called the event an attack on basic democratic values,a sentiment echoed by Speaker Andreas Norlén. [9] [10]
She and her Nordic counterparts signed a joint letter in late October condemning Israel's planned bill that would seek to ban the UNRWA from operating in the country and in effect the Palestinian areas. Furthermore,they urged the Knesset to reconsider passing the bill. [11]
Since becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs,Malmer Stenergard has made a number of international trips.
Country | Location(s) | Dates | Source |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | |||
Finland | Helsinki | 13 September 2024 | [12] |
United States | New York City (79th United Nations General Assembly) | 22–27 September 2024 | [13] |
Canada | Iqaluit | 28–29 September 2024 | [14] [15] |
Luxembourg | Luxembourg City | 14 October 2024 | [16] |
Moldova | Chișinău | 15 October 2024 | [17] |
Germany | Berlin | 21 October 2024 | [18] |
Iceland | Reykjavík | 28–31 October 2024 | [19] |
Singapore | Singapore | 19–21 November 2024 | [20] |
Thailand | Bangkok | 22 November 2024 | [21] |
Belgium | Brussels | 3–4 December 2024 | [22] |
Malta | Valetta | 5–6 December 2024 | [23] |
2025 | |||
Turkey | Ankara | 21 January 2025 | [24] |
Belgium | Brussels | 27 January 2025 | [25] |
Colombia | Bogotá | 28–29 January 2025 | [26] |
Peru | Lima | 30–31 January 2025 | [27] |
The Moderate Party,commonly referred to as the Moderates,is a liberal-conservative political party in Sweden. The party generally supports tax cuts,the free market,civil liberties and economic liberalism. Globally,it is a full member of the International Democracy Union and the European People's Party.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is a ministry in the Government of Sweden responsible for policies related to foreign policy,democracy,human rights,international development cooperation and foreign trade.
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Ulf Hjalmar Kristersson is a Swedish politician who has been serving as the prime minister of Sweden since 2022. He has been the leader of the Moderate Party (M) since October 2017 and a member of parliament (MP) for Södermanland County since 2014 and for Stockholm County from 1991 to 2000. He previously served as Minister for Social Security from 2010 to 2014 and as Chairman of the Moderate Youth League from 1988 to 1992.
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Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson carried out the first cabinet reshuffle of his premiership on 10 September 2024,announcing it during his Declaration of Government speech at the Opening of the Riksdag. The cause for the reshuffle was that Minister for European Union Affairs and Nordic Cooperation Jessika Roswall had earlier in the year,following the 2024 European Parliament election,been nominated by the government to become Sweden's European commissioner for the 2024–2029 term,forcing her to leave her ministerial role. Later,on 4 September,Foreign Minister Tobias Billström announced his surprise resignation,creating another hole to fill in Kristersson's cabinet.