<p>Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Wednesday tendered his resignation, a widely expected move paving the way for his designated successor Magdalena Andersson ahead of next year's general election.</p>.<p>Television cameras filmed Lofven handing his resignation letter to the speaker of parliament, Andreas Norlen.</p>.<p>Lofven, who has been in power for seven years, stepped down as leader of the Social Democrats at the party's congress last week.</p>.<p>Andersson, who is currently finance minister, was elected to replace Lofven as party leader, putting her on track to become the country's first woman prime minister if she wins a vote in parliament.</p>.<p>No date has been set for that vote yet.</p>.<p>In Sweden's parliament, political forces are so finely balanced that the Social Democrats need the support of both their Green Party coalition partners and the Left and Centre parties to elect a new prime minister.</p>.<p>The Centre Party on Wednesday said it would back Andersson, and the Left is widely expected to do the same.</p>.<p>The feat of installing a woman as prime minister sounds almost anachronistic in a country that has long championed gender equality.</p>.<p>All other Nordic countries -- Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland -- have all seen women lead their governments.</p>.<p>The change at the head of the Social Democrats comes as the party hovers close to its lowest-ever approval ratings with elections less than a year away, in September 2022.</p>.<p>The right-wing opposition, led by the conservative Moderates, has in recent years inched closer to the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats and hopes to govern with its informal backing.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Wednesday tendered his resignation, a widely expected move paving the way for his designated successor Magdalena Andersson ahead of next year's general election.</p>.<p>Television cameras filmed Lofven handing his resignation letter to the speaker of parliament, Andreas Norlen.</p>.<p>Lofven, who has been in power for seven years, stepped down as leader of the Social Democrats at the party's congress last week.</p>.<p>Andersson, who is currently finance minister, was elected to replace Lofven as party leader, putting her on track to become the country's first woman prime minister if she wins a vote in parliament.</p>.<p>No date has been set for that vote yet.</p>.<p>In Sweden's parliament, political forces are so finely balanced that the Social Democrats need the support of both their Green Party coalition partners and the Left and Centre parties to elect a new prime minister.</p>.<p>The Centre Party on Wednesday said it would back Andersson, and the Left is widely expected to do the same.</p>.<p>The feat of installing a woman as prime minister sounds almost anachronistic in a country that has long championed gender equality.</p>.<p>All other Nordic countries -- Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland -- have all seen women lead their governments.</p>.<p>The change at the head of the Social Democrats comes as the party hovers close to its lowest-ever approval ratings with elections less than a year away, in September 2022.</p>.<p>The right-wing opposition, led by the conservative Moderates, has in recent years inched closer to the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats and hopes to govern with its informal backing.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>