Political scientist: It speaks for and against Magdalena Andersson

Minister of Finance Magdalena Andersson (S) was singled out as one of the strongest candidates to succeed Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in November.

Jonas Hinnfors, professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg, describes the Minister of Finance as competent and with extensive experience of trying budget negotiations.

- Then you can not ignore that she is a woman.

It would be seen as a feather in the cap for a party that sees itself as feminist to not only have a female party leader but also in the long run probably a female prime minister, he says.

Tensions can arise

During his years in power, Stefan Löfven has succeeded in uniting the Social Democrats in a way that the representatives Håkan Juholt and Mona Sahlin did not succeed in, says Jonas Hinnfors.

But according to him, there are still tensions and frustration that the party has seen a downward trend over the past 30 years, which places high demands on a successor.

- Then it is important to keep the party together, not just be able to turn these numbers around.

There has probably been some criticism from what one could call the left in the party, he says.

According to Hinnfors, the criticism lies in the fact that the party leadership has been permeated by a market and privatization thinking rather than investing more aggressively in reforms.

- Then possibly Magdalena Andersson is a representative of the line that has been more restrained.

In that case, it is important for her to show that she can also include that group, he says.

Strong academic background - long experience

Andersson can be perceived as an inflexible negotiator, which can be a problem in a situation where the party is dependent on compromises, according to SVT's domestic policy commentator Mats Knutson.

During the autumn, not only is a change of leadership waiting - the government must also adjust a budget that receives support in the Riksdag.

Jonas Hinnfors believes that it is difficult to say how the collaboration with the Center Party would be affected if Andersson is elected as Löfven's successor.

- Potentially, it can always be the case that personal chemistry helps or upsets.

Magdalena Andersson's great advantage is that everything she would say as a possible party leader has an enormous power because she has previously been Minister of Finance with a strong academic background and long experience.

"Must appear more popular"

Mats Knutson believes that Andersson has had a strict, principled and technocratic appearance.  

- As prime minister, she must be able to appear more popular than as finance minister.

It can be a trial, he says.

Andersson has high confidence both within the party and among the voters, according to Knutson.

He thinks she can unite the party as chairman - the question is whether she wants to. 

- She has not tasted freedom since 2014. It is possible that she can be persuaded, says Mats Knutson.