Sweden’s new prime minister Ulf Kristersson has promised “serious solutions to major societal problems” of gang crime and high increases in energy costs.
The 58-year-old was sworn in officially on Tuesday to head a new centre-right coalition that keeps the key finance and foreign affairs portfolios among the 13 ministries for his Moderates party.
In a stark address to the Riksdag parliament, Mr Kristersson said he had inherited a country with depressing European records: the highest unemployment, lowest growth and, at 53 so far this year, a new “bloody record in fatal shootings”.
“No other country in Europe has had the same trend of violence as Sweden ... the fight against serious crime must be won, and security must be restored throughout our country,” he said. “In this respect, government will now take back control.”
After a law-and-order election saw voters narrowly oust the centre-left government after two terms, Sweden’s new three-way minority coalition relies, for the first time, on parliamentary backing from the opposition benches and the populist Sweden Democrats (SD).
Incoming foreign minister Tobias Billström said to expect continuity on Sweden’s Nato accession and “as much help as possible” for Ukraine.
Wearing a Swedish-Ukraine label badge to his appointment, Mr Billström said it was likely he would be wearing it “for an extended period, perhaps my entire time as minister”.
“We have to acknowledge that Ukraine is on the front line, this where the battle takes place and Sweden and other countries should do as much as possible to offer whatever assistance,” he said.
He promised continuity, too, in Sweden’s EU policies and its upcoming presidency of the EU council in the first half of 2023.
Other senior appointments include Elisabeth Svantesson, a former employment minister, in finance. The Moderates’ former defence and EU speakers, Pål Jonson and Jessika Roswall, are now defence and EU ministers respectively.
Minister for energy and business is Edda Busch, leader of the junior Christian Democrats while Liberals leader Johan Pehrson takes the labour and integration portfolios. The new government’s youngest minister is 22-year-old climate and environment minister Romina Pourmokhtari.
Four months after its formal application, Sweden’s Nato membership remains in limbo amid ongoing concerns from Turkey.
Mr Billström insisted disputes with Ankara were being worked through and that accession would come “in the fullness of time”.
Mr Kristersson promised to meet an agreement signed with Turkey in June, agreeing not to support what Ankara views as terrorist organisations.
“I believe that we will meet with the Turkish government and officials and reach a solution within the framework of dialogue,” said the prime minister.
On Tuesday he promised to meet Nato’s defence spending rules “as soon as possible, but no later than 2026″.
As well as traditional defence spending, Sweden is stepping up its civilian defences against possible Russian interference over its decision to join Nato.
The new coalition will shift responsibility for civilian defence and crisis preparedness from the justice ministry to defence and a dedicated civil defence minister.
