Foreign Minister Resigns, Leaving Politics

In a post on X, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström (50) has announced his resignation from ministerial office, as well as his seat in the Riksdag (parliament), having served in the former role from 2022 and as a member of the legislature since 2002. Billström says that he will 'completely leave politics', and does not provide info on what his next plans are, or details on why he is leaving office at a relatively young age.

• PM Ulf Kristersson praised Billström, saying that during his time as foreign minister "...we have changed our foreign policy and left 200 years of non-alignment behind us, we are now members of NATO. And Nordic-Baltic cooperation has probably never been stronger".
• Billström was indeed seen as a major driver behind Sweden's efforts to join NATO, a lengthy process that was made difficult due to objections from Hungary and Turkey.
• There is no indication yet of who Kristersson might appoint to succeed Billström. They both hail from the same centre-right Moderate Party, meaning that barring a ministerial reshuffle, the next foreign minister will likely also come from the main party of the tripartite minority coalition. Billström's No.2, Minister of Foreign Trade and for International Development Cooperation Johan Forssell could be seen as the heir apparent.