COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) 鈥� Hours after being tapped as Sweden鈥檚 first female prime minister, Magdalena Andersson resigned Wednesday after suffering a budget defeat in parliament and her coalition partner the Greens left the two-party minority government.
The government鈥檚 own budget proposal was rejected in favor of one presented by the opposition that includes the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. Sweden鈥檚 third-largest party is rooted in a neo-Nazi movement. The vote was 154-143 in favor of the opposition鈥檚 budget proposal.
Andersson, leader of the Social Democratic party, decided it was best to step down from the post more than seven hours after she made history by becoming the first woman to lead the country.
鈥滷or me, it is about respect, but I also do not want to lead a government where there may be grounds to question its legitimacy,鈥� Andersson told a news conference.
Andersson, who was finance minister before briefly becoming prime minister, informed parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlen that she is still interested in leading a Social Democratic one-party government.
Norlen, the speaker of Sweden鈥檚 349-seat parliament, said he will contact Sweden鈥檚 eight party leaders 鈥漷o discuss the situation.鈥� On Thursday, he will announce the road ahead.
Andersson said that 鈥渁 coalition government should resign if a party chooses to leave the government. Despite the fact that the parliamentary situation is unchanged, it needs to be tried again."
Even though the Green Party pulled its support for her government, it said it is prepared to stand behind Andersson in a new vote to tap a prime minister.
But the Greens said it was in the best interests of the party to pull support for her after the budget defeat in parliament.
鈥淲e have a united party behind us saying we can not sit in government that implements a policy (the Sweden Democrats) negotiated. We must look our voters in the eye and feel pride,鈥� said Marta Stenevi, Green Party spokesperson as the party chose to resign from the government.
The other Green Party spokesperson Per Bolund said 鈥渢hat is something we deeply regret.鈥�
Earlier in the day, Andersson said she could 鈥済overn the country with the opposition鈥檚 budget.鈥�
The approved budget was based on the government鈥檚 own proposal but of the 74 billion kronor ($8.2 billion) that the government wanted to spend on reforms, just over 20 billion kronor ($2.2 billion) will be redistributed next year, Swedish broadcaster SVT said. The approved budget aims at reducing taxes, increased salaries for police officers and more money to different sectors of Sweden鈥檚 judiciary system.
Andersson's appointment as prime minister had marked a milestone for Sweden, viewed for decades as one of Europe鈥檚 most progressive countries when it comes to gender relations, but which had yet to have a woman in the top political post.
Andersson had been tapped to replace Stefan Lofven as party leader and prime minister, roles he relinquished earlier this year.
Earlier in the day, 117 lawmakers voted yes to Andersson, 174 rejected her appointment while 57 abstained and one lawmaker was absent.
Under the Swedish Constitution, prime ministers can be named and govern as long as a parliamentary majority 鈥� a minimum of 175 lawmakers 鈥� is not against them.
Sweden鈥檚 next general election is scheduled for Sept. 11.
Jan M. Olsen, The Associated Press
