Sweden’s new health minister Elisabet Lann, collapsed during a press conference on her first day. Lann, a leading Christian Democrat, was introduced by the Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday at the start of the new parliamentary year of 2025-2026.
Moments before collapsing, Lann told reporters, “Swedish healthcare is of high quality; the main issue is the long waiting times. We must transition to equitable healthcare. It is clear that we must strengthen government control.” She added, “It is not worthy of a welfare state that so many people are waiting for healthcare.”
Just moments later, she fainted. “This could happen when you have a drop in blood sugar, she later explained.
Nationalising healthcare was one of the main goals of Swedish Health Minister Acko Ankarberg Johansson and her party, the Christian Democrats, when taking office in 2022, a response to the growing healthcare crisis.
Lann was also a member of the investigative committee, presented in June this year, that concluded that full or partial nationalisation of the Swedish healthcare system is not yet achievable. One of her missions will now be to increase government control.
Johansson’s resignation
The resignation of Ankarberg Johansson was announced on Monday afternoon. She held the position for three years, and now also leaves her seat in the Parliament and withdraws her candidacy for the next general election.
“Since 1986, I have held various positions as an elected representative for the Christian Democrats. It has been a privilege to work for and with the Christian Democratic movement. Thank you for your trust,” Ankarberg Johansson said in a post on Facebook.
Just a week earlier (1 September), Ankarberg Johansson said in a post on Facebook that she would be standing for re-election for another four years.
According to Dagens Nyheter, Johansson resigned after having a conversation on the path towards the election with the leader of the Christian Democratic party, and Deputy Prime Minister, Ebba Busch.
The discussion reportedly focused on the need to accelerate progress in healthcare – a key election issue for the Christian Democrats – and the importance of implementing reforms to reduce patient waiting lists.
Elisabeth Lann was nominated for the position of health minister by Bush, according to the Swedish Prime Minister.
A member of the Christian Democrats’ (EPP) party board and of its executive committee, Lann has a master’s degree in peace and development studies and political science. Before moving up to national politics, after receiving the healthcare portfolio at the Swedish Ministry of Social Affairs, she was active as a local politician, working on healthcare issues mainly in the Gothenburg City Council.
(VA, BM)
