Swedish Prime Minister to Resign as Social Democratic Party Leader in Fall

Back in June, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven lost a no-confidence vote in parliament after a total of 181 lawmakers voted to oust him. A week later, Lofven announced his resignation. However, shortly thereafter he was reelected.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Sunday that he is going to step down as the leader of the Social Democrats at the party's congress in November, a year before next election.

Lofven said he had informed the party that he wanted to leave his position "as party chairman at the party congress in November and then also ask to be dismissed as prime minister".

The 63-year-old said being prime minister and head of the Social Democrats "have been fantastic years", but "everything has an end and I want to give my successor the very best conditions".

Lofven has headed the Social Democrats since 2012, leading the party through two successful elections in 2014 and 2018.

In June, the politician, however, became the first prime minister in Sweden to lose a vote of confidence over a dispute with the Left Party regarding rent control on housing. Afterward, Lofven opted to resign, but took the helm again after the opposition failed to form a coalition.

Before his political career, Lofven worked as a welder and headed the IF Metall trade union.