Sweden's parliament elected conservative leader Ulf Christerson as prime minister on Monday in a vote that saw unprecedented support from the Sweden Democrats (the hard-right) for the traditional right, marking a new political era for the Nordic country.
Christerson was elected by 176 votes to 173, after he announced on Friday an agreement to form a coalition government that includes 3 parties: his (Moderate) party, the "Christian Democratic" party and the "Liberals" party;
Parliamentary support of the Sweden Democrats.
And on Friday, weeks later, Christerson announced that he had been able to agree to form a minority government in alliance with the "Liberals" and "Christian Democrats" parties, and pointed out that the largest party in the right-wing bloc, the extremist "Sweden Democrats", would not be part of the government, but it would cooperate with it. "Closely".
In a 62-page roadmap for their cooperation, the four parties presented measures to implement security campaigns targeting crime, immigration, building new nuclear reactors, and more.
The new government plans, among other things, to make drastic cuts to the reception of refugees in Sweden and reduce the country's quota from 6,400 refugees last year to 900 annually during the new prime minister's four-year term, as well as the possibility of "deporting foreigners for misconduct".
After 8 years of the left's dominance of political life in the country, Christerson succeeds the Social Democratic Prime Minister, Magdalena Anderson, who ensured the transition after submitting her resignation after very close elections.
The vote was met with applause from the three right-wing parties that will form the future government, and the Sweden Democrats, and these forces will form an influential majority of 73 seats.
"Now, change is possible," Christerson, 58, told a news conference after his election.
As scheduled, Christerson will issue a government statement and present his cabinet on Tuesday, after which King Carl Gustaf will formally ratify the change of government.
Sweden, Turkey and NATO
In his first statement regarding Sweden's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Swedish Prime Minister-elect Ulf Christerson confirmed their commitment to the agreement with Turkey regarding joining NATO.
In a statement to Anadolu Agency today, Monday, he said, "NATO membership is very important for Sweden and Finland. We are committed to the NATO agreement with Turkey. We will do everything we can to implement what is stipulated in Turkey's agreement with Sweden and Finland."
He expressed his confidence in reaching a solution regarding joining NATO, and said that he would meet with officials in the Turkish government.