(Bloomberg) -- Sweden’s prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, appointed Maria Malmer Stenergard as minister of foreign affairs after Tobias Billstrom unexpectedly tendered his resignation last week.
Malmer Stenergard, 43, has held the migration minister post in Kristersson’s cabinet, working to implement policies aimed at lowering immigration to Sweden. The biggest Nordic country has reversed its previously liberal policies on immigration amid a backlash that fueled a surge in support for the nationalist Sweden Democrats, which backs the current government.
Billstrom, whose tenure included the home stretch of Sweden’s campaign to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, last Wednesday said he would step down to seek new opportunities outside of politics. The resignation was met with surprise and followed by speculation, quickly dismissed by Billstrom, about a rift between the foreign minister and Kristersson.
In a wider reshuffle, Kristersson also announced that Jessica Rosencrantz will take the position as minister of European Union affairs, left vacant after Jessika Roswall was nominated as Sweden’s candidate to the European Commission. Rosencrantz was appointed as chair of the parliament’s EU committee earlier this year.
Minister for Development Cooperation Johan Forssell becomes migration minister, leaving his role to Benjamin Dousa.
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