Magdalena Andersson, who last week became the first woman to hold the post of prime minister in Sweden, will step down as chair of the IMF’s steering committee, the Washington-based crisis lender announced Tuesday.
Andersson had last January been appointed to a three-year term atop the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), the group of finance ministers and central bankers that advises the institution’s board.
She was the first woman to hold that post, and at the time was the finance minister in Sweden’s government. In November, she ascended to the prime minister’s office, though her initial stay lasted only hours after her budget failed to pass through parliament and the Green Party quit her coalition government.
Parliament elected her to the post again five days later.
“Ms. Andersson’s term as Chair was productive and successful,” the IMF said in a statement, noting that she’d step down at the end of December.
The IMF listed among her accomplishments “the extraordinary pandemic-related support to the IMF membership” and “significant efforts to strengthen the fund to better serve the membership to craft strong policies to promote a sustainable, green, inclusive and transformational recovery.”
“The selection process for the next chair is currently underway,” it added.
Spain’s Economy Minister Nadia Calvino has already been nominated as the European candidate to chair the committee, her ministry said in a statement.
