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Maria Malmer Stenergard

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Maria Malmer Stenergard
Malmer Stenergard in 2023
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
10 September 2024
Prime MinisterUlf Kristersson
Preceded byTobias Billström
Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy
In office
18 October 2022 – 10 September 2024
Prime MinisterUlf Kristersson
Preceded byAnders Ygeman
Succeeded byJohan Forssell
Member of the Riksdag for Skåne Northern and Eastern
Assumed office
29 September 2014
Personal details
Born (1981-03-23) 23 March 1981 (age 43)
Kristianstad, Sweden
Political partyModerate Party
Alma materLund University (BA, LLM)

Eva Maria Louise Malmer Stenergard (born 23 March 1981) is a Swedish politician and jurist.[1] Since September 2024, she is the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Kristersson cabinet, having previously served as Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy from 2022 to 2024.[2][3] She has also been a Member of the Riksdag since 2014.[4]

Ministerial career

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Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy (2022–2024)

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On 18 October 2022, Stenergard was appointed Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy in the cabinet of Ulf Kristersson. This role was seen as critical since migration was one of the key areas the new government was set to focus on.[5]

In 2024, Stenergard announced that Sweden during that year had seen the lowest number of immigrants since 1997, and had for the first time in 50 years had more people migrating from Sweden than immigrating to Sweden. This was in line with the governments policy which she had implemented.[6]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (2024–present)

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On 10 September 2024, prime minister Ulf Kristersson reshuffled his cabinet. During this reshuffle Stenergard was made Minister for Foreign Affairs succeeding Tobias Billström who had recently resigned.[7] During a press conference later the same day she said she would pursue a foreign policy that prioritized Sweden.[8]

In October 2024, while watching a debate regarding Sweden stance on Israel and the Palestinian West Bank unfold in the Riksdag chamber three Palestine activists threw onions and tomatoes towards her from the Public Gallery. Stenergard retreated from the chamber following the event. The three activists, 1 man and 2 women, who had smuggled the objects in through the security controls by hiding them in their clothes, were quickly apprehended by security and removed from the perimeters of the Riksdag. Stenergard called the event an attack on basic democratic values, a sentiment echoed by Speaker Andreas Norlén.[9][10]

She and her Nordic counterparts signed a joint letter in late October condemning Israel's planned bill that would seek to ban the UNRWA from operating in the country and in effect the Palestinian areas. Furthermore, they urged the Knesset to reconsider passing the bill.[11]

List of international trips made by Maria Malmer Stenergard

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Since becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs, Malmer Stenergard has made a number of international trips.

List of international trips
Country Location(s) Dates Source
2024
 Finland Helsinki 13 September 2024 [12]
 United States New York City (79th United Nations General Assembly) 22–27 September 2024 [13]
 Canada Iqaluit 28–29 September 2024 [14][15]
 Luxembourg Luxembourg City 14 October 2024 [16]
 Moldova Chișinău 15 October 2024 [17]
 Germany Berlin 21 October 2024 [18]
 Iceland Reykjavík 28–31 October 2024 [19]

References

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  1. ^ CV Maria Malmer Stenergard Archived 19 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 19/4/2023.
  2. ^ Sweden, Radio (18 October 2022). Ulf Kristersson names ministers in his three-party government. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022 – via Sveriges Radio.
  3. ^ "Swedish PM announces new foreign, migration and EU ministers in reshuffle". The Local. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Sweden's new Government". Government of Sweden. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Här är den nya regeringens ministrar". SVT Nyheter. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  6. ^ Regeringskansliet, Regeringen och (8 August 2024). "Fler utvandrar än invandrar till Sverige för första gången på över 50 år". Regeringskansliet. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  7. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (10 September 2024). "Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) blir ny utrikesminister". SVT Nyheter. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  8. ^ Sweden appoints new foreign minister with focus on supporting Ukraine Retrieved 11 September 2024. Reuters.
  9. ^ "Ministern flydde tomatattack – tre släppta". Aftonbladet. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  10. ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (3 October 2024). "Debatt i riksdagen avbruten – påse kastades mot utrikesministern". SVT Nyheter. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Nordic statement on the draft legal bills in the Knesset related to UNRWA". government.no. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  12. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (12 September 2024). "Utrikesminister Maria Malmer Stenergard besöker Helsingfors för möte med utrikesminister Elina Valtonen". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  13. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (20 September 2024). "Regeringen deltar vid FN:s generalförsamlings öppnande i New York". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  14. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (27 September 2024). "Utrikesminister Maria Malmer Stenergard deltar i strategisk dialog mellan Kanada och Norden". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  15. ^ Canada, Global Affairs (27 September 2024). "Minister Joly to host Nordic counterparts in New York and Iqaluit". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  16. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (13 October 2024). "Maria Malmer Stenergard deltar i EU:s utrikesministermöte". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  17. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (14 October 2024). "Nordiska och baltiska utrikesministrar besöker Moldavien". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  18. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (21 October 2024). "Utrikesministern deltar i jubileumsfirandet av de nordiska ambassaderna i Berlin". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  19. ^ Regeringen och Regeringskansliet (23 October 2024). "Regeringen deltar på Nordiska rådets session i Reykjavik". Regeringskansliet (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 October 2024.