Ulf Kristersson, Sweden’s new prime minister, has announced the members of his new Cabinet and set out priorities for his government.

Kristersson, who was appointed this Monday, confirmed that he will be leading a three-party coalition government with the Moderates (13 ministers), the Christian Democrats (6 ministers), and the Liberals (5 ministers). Top appointees include Tobias Billstrom as Minister for Foreign Affairs, and  Pål Jonson as Minister for Defence.

Some of the top priorities for the new government are the fight against crime, and there are already several proposals, such as tougher sentences for repeat offenders. The prime minister also mentioned there would be cuts to international aid, lower fuel prices and protection against the high energy costs. 

Moreover, the government will be tougher on immigration. They will lower the number of quota refugees from 5,000 people per year to just 900, and will focus on the integration of immigrants, for instance by making it a requirement to learn Swedish before being eligible for citizenship.

Regarding Sweden’s NATO membership, the prime minister assured it would remain a priority, and he will keep the outgoing Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson's state secretary as Sweden's chief negotiator until the accession process is complete. The country is expecting to reach Nato’s goal of a military expenditure of 2% of the GDP by 2026.

When it comes to the climate crisis, the new government has plans to do more to tackle the issue while sticking to Sweden's commitments to carbon reduction. However, this will be the first time in 35 years that Sweden does not have a dedicated environment ministry. The biggest concern is to set a price cap for energy bills, funded by the government, by November.

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