After successfully navigating a period of political turbulence in the early summer, it had appeared that Löfven would attempt to secure a third term in office at next September’s vote. A surprise announcement on Sunday, however, threw the next year’s general election race wide open.

According to Löfven, he took this decision because it is good for his party. “I’m thinking of the party. How will the party get the best conditions in the next election campaign”, Löfven said in his annual summer speech.

Löfven previously said that he would lead the Social Democrats in the election campaign next year. That, however, has now changed. According to him, the decision has “matured over a period of time”. Löfven has been party chairman for ten years, and since the autumn of 2014 also prime minister.

Stefan Löfven believes that his successor now has plenty of time until the election to prepare. “I want to give my successor the very best conditions”, he says.

Houdini

Earlier this year, Löfven was forced to resign as prime minister after a clash with allies on housing policies. He narrowly won a vote, 176 votes to 173, in parliament to secure his comeback as Prime Minister. This escape, along with earlier political escapes in 2015 and 2018, made Politico nicknaming him the ‘Harry Houdini of European Politics’.