On September 10, 2024, Sweden made significant changes to its government. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced Maria Malmer Stenergard as the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and Benjamin Dousa as Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.
Maria Malmer Stenergard, formerly the Minister for Migration since October 2022, is a trained lawyer and has been a member of the Swedish Parliament, Sveriges Riksdag, since May 2016.
Benjamin Dousa was previously the CEO of Företagarna, the Swedish Federation of Business Owners, which represents the interests of approximately 60,000 business owners. He will now handle trade and international development.
The reshuffle also included Johan Forssell as Minister for Migration, Johan Pehrson as Minister for Education, Mats Persson as Minister for Employment and Integration, and Jessica Rosencrantz as Minister for EU Affairs.
The changes were announced during the Statement of Government Policy. Prime Minister Kristersson highlighted Sweden’s commitment to maintaining security, addressing economic challenges, promoting climate action, and strengthening democratic values. The policy focuses on improving healthcare, education, and social welfare, while also enhancing national defense and international relations, especially with the EU, NATO, and neighboring regions. Immigration, justice reform, and climate resilience are also key areas of focus.
For the full statement, you can access it here.
