On 28 June, the Swedish liberal party Liberalerna, which is an ALDE Party member, elected a new party leader.
Nyamko Sabuni succeeds Jan Björklund, who held the position from 2007 to 2019.
“Our party has a proud history. It is like a mosaic where we put our bit to make Sweden more liberal. Today we add another bit to that mosaic when Liberalerna as the first party in Sweden elects a party leader with an African-Swedish background. It is yet another proof that for Liberalerna, Sweden is a land of opportunities,” said Sabuni in her speech after the election.
Nyamko Sabuni is a Burundian-born Swedish who has been Minister for Integration from 2006 to 2010 and Minister for Gender Equality from 2006 to 2013.
Sabuni was elected a Member of the Swedish Parliament in 2002.
Sabuni is the first party leader in the Swedish parliament from an ethnic minority and the first party leader with a refugee background.
“We have a proud history but we also have important tasks ahead of us. I look forward to doing this important work with you. I am incredibly proud to lead the party,” Sabuni summed up in the press conference later on the same day.
