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<\/div>\nRomina Pourmokhtari, 26, was until now head of the Liberal party’s youth wing. (File)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Stockholm: <\/b><\/p>\n
Sweden’s new government named on Tuesday a 26-year-old as climate minister, the youngest person to lead a ministry in the home nation of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.<\/p>\n
The nomination was among the cabinet members presented by newly elected prime minister Ulf Kristersson, who leads a right-wing coalition that is shored up by the far-right Sweden Democrats.<\/p>\n
Romina Pourmokhtari, 26, was until now head of the Liberal party’s youth wing, and has not been known to have climate as her political profile.<\/p>\n
The young minister has in the past been an outspoken critic of Mr Kristersson’s move to closer align his party with the Sweden Democrats (SD).<\/p>\n
“Ulf Kristersson without SD – Absolutely. Ulf Kristersson with SD – No thanks,” she wrote in a post to Twitter in 2020.<\/p>\n
Born into a family of Iranian origin in the suburbs of Stockholm, the young woman inherits the climate and environment portfolio, and beat the previous record of 27 years old for youngest minister.<\/p>\n
Sweden is also home to teen climate activist Thunberg, who launched a massive global movement with millions of youths that has sparked a torrent of debate on the dangers of climate change.<\/p>\n
Sweden’s coalition government was announced on Friday after Mr Kristersson penned a deal with his partners and the nationalist and anti-immigration Sweden Democrats which pledged to support the government in exchange for policy commitments, especially on immigration and crime.<\/p>\n
When presenting the cabinet, Mr Kristersson also announced the creation of a new minister post for “civil defense” as the country is facing tensions with Russia.<\/p>\n
The Sweden Democrats were the big winners in the election, and emerged as the second-largest party, trailing only the Social Democrats, who have dominated Swedish politics since the 1930s.<\/p>\n
The significant influence of the Sweden Democrats over the four-party deal has sparked tensions within the Liberals, whose support is also essential for Mr Kristersson’s survival.<\/p>\n
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n