Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist has been nominated as the next leader of Sweden's Center Party. The party's nomination committee announced her selection today. She will replace Anna-Karin Hatt, who unexpectedly resigned several weeks ago.
Thand Ringqvist expressed enthusiasm about her nomination. "I accept this with great joy and optimism for the future," she said during a press conference.
Nomination committee chairman Anders Ă…kesson described the leadership transition as sudden. He said the committee sought someone who could continue Hatt's work while putting their own stamp on the party.
"We need a party leader who can make a running start and maintain momentum," Ă…kesson stated. "Our assessment is that Thand Ringqvist, with her deep commitment to the party's direction under Hatt's leadership, can contribute to this."
The Center Party will formally elect its new leader at a party conference on November 13. Delegates are expected to approve Thand Ringqvist as the nomination committee's candidate.
Anna-Karin Hatt announced her resignation on October 15 after less than five months as party leader. She cited the hate and threats she received as reasons for stepping down. Hatt said she no longer felt safe being a political leader in today's social climate.
Thand Ringqvist currently serves as a member of parliament and the party's business policy spokesperson. She also holds the position of deputy group leader in parliament.
Her political career began in the 1990s as a part-time politician in Ă–stersund Municipality. Between 2006 and 2010, she worked as political advisor to then-Minister for Enterprise Maud Olofsson.
After an unsuccessful parliamentary bid in 2010, Thand Ringqvist left politics temporarily. She became CEO of the industry organization Företagarna before returning to politics.
She entered parliament for the first time in the 2022 election. Thand Ringqvist had previously been mentioned as a potential party leader candidate when Annie Lööf stepped down.
The leadership change comes at a challenging time for the Center Party, which has struggled to maintain its political influence in recent years. Thand Ringqvist faces the difficult task of uniting the party while addressing the security concerns that drove her predecessor from office.