Sweden: Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom steps down

Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom unexpectedly announced Wednesday that he will resign from the Swedish government next week.

Billstrom has been in office for nearly two years, during which time his country, traditionally a non-aligned nation, has become a NATO member.

"It is with a mixture of sadness and pride that I have today informed the prime minister that I will leave the post of foreign minister at the opening of parliament next week," Billstrom said in a post on X.

Billstrom to leave politics

The 50-year-old politician, who has been foreign minister since October 2022, said he would leave politics but had no decision on what he would do next.

"For my part, I will now leave politics entirely. This means that I am also leaving my parliamentary seat," the minister said, adding that he would formally leave his position when Sweden's parliament re-opens next week.

"What I will do next is still open. But I am only 50 years old and I look forward to contributing and working hard in other contexts," he added.

Sweden in NATO

In a statement on Facebook, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wished Billstrom well in his "future endeavors," but did not immediately name a potential successor.

"The government has under Tobias' lead clearly changed Swedish foreign policy's priorities," Kristersson added.

During Billstrom's tenure as the country's top diplomat, Sweden abandoned two centuries of military non-alignment and applied for NATO membership in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

After 18 months of delays, Sweden's membership bid cleared the final hurdle in February when Hungary gave its approval.

dh/jcg (AP, AFP, Reuters)