On Sunday, Stefan Löfven announced that he will resign as party leader for the Social Democrats and prime minister this autumn.

Löfven left the message at the end of his summer speech.

According to Jenny Madestam, political scientist at the Swedish National Defense College, the news is surprising.

- I thought he would wait until after the election, that he would take responsibility for the entire term.

But on the other hand, he may judge that he is taking responsibility for the entire party by giving a new representative the opportunity.

A way to meet internal criticism

Jenny Madestam believes that the departure is due to several reasons.

- The party bleeds the voters of the Left Party.

For a long time now, there has been criticism and dissatisfaction within the Social Democrats against this right-wing orientation, with the cooperation with the center.

The party is bubbling with this criticism and dissatisfaction.

She believes that the departure will be a way to respond to the criticism:

- This by appointing a new leader who can counteract this dissatisfaction, but also that it aims to be a new cleaning for the party.

To resign quite exactly one year before the next election, she also thinks there is a thought behind it.

- It is very possible that they will lose government power, and implementing a change of leadership in opposition risks provoking conflicts.

If you implement it now, it will probably be calmer, says Jenny Madestam.

It can also be about an additional aspect.

- The election campaign is guaranteed to be very tough.

It will take an enormous amount of party leaders to be on their toes and at the front of the debates, and that is not Stefan Löfven's strongest side.

"A lot speaks for Magdalena Andersson"

Now there is much to suggest that it will be a female prime minister, despite the fact that many men are available.

- The party does not want to be associated with only appointing white middle-aged men.

And you probably want to be the party that puts the first woman in the post of prime minister.

Who do you think will take over from Stefan Löfven?

 - It is very difficult to answer but a lot speaks for Magdalena Andersson, she is a stable candidate and experienced.

But the downside is that she is very associated with having compromised with the party's core issues, says Jenny Madestam.

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Mikael Damberg, Anders Ygeman and Magdalena Andersson are some S-tops who are highlighted as Stefan Löfven's possible successors to the party leadership position.

Photo: Christine Olsson / TT / Stefan Jerrevång / TT / Christine Olsson / TT