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Romina Pourmokhtari

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Romina Pourmokhtari
Pourmokhtari in 2019
Minister for the Environment
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 October 2022
Prime MinisterUlf Kristersson
Preceded byAnnika Strandhäll
Member of the Riksdag
Incumbent
Assumed office
26 September 2022
ConstituencyStockholm Municipality
President of Liberal Youth of Sweden
In office
19 August 2019 – 6 November 2022
Preceded byJoar Forssell
Succeeded byErik Berg
Personal details
Born (1995-11-12) 12 November 1995 (age 29)
Stockholm, Sweden
Political partyLiberals

Romina Pourmokhtari (born 12 November 1995) is a Swedish politician for the Liberals. She has served as the Minister for the Environment since 2022 in the Kristersson Cabinet.[1][2] She has also been a member of the Riksdag for Stockholm Municipality since 2022.[2] She is the youngest-ever minister of a cabinet in Sweden, having ascended to her position at the age of 26.[3]

Political career

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Liberal Youth of Sweden (2019–2022)

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Pourmokhtari became the president of the Liberal Youth of Sweden in 2019.[4]

In June 2021, she and the two vice-chairs of the Liberal Youth published an article in Expressen calling for the Liberal Party to "adopt red lines" against the far-right Sweden Democrats, saying that the Sweden Democrats' "vision of society and of people is infinitely more dangerous than any challenge Sweden faces today," but that after the Liberal Party members had voted to consider going into government with SD, the party should not compromise on the right to asylum, the independence of universities, media, cultural institutions, and the justice system, protection for women, LGBT+ people, and minority groups, and Sweden's role in global affairs, including international aid and the European Union.[5]

On 14 September 2022, she announced that she would step down as president at the upcoming congress in November later that year.[6][7]

Minister for the Environment (2022–present)

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Following the 2022 Swedish general election in September 2022, Pourmokhtari was elected to the Riksdag for Stockholm Municipality. Immediately following the election, she pledged to vote against the formation of any government that included the Sweden Democrats.[8] She later deleted Tweets where she criticized the Sweden Democrats after joining a coalition government with the party.[9]

In October 2022, she was named Minister for the Environment in the Kristersson Cabinet, with the Liberal Party taking part in the Tidö Agreement with the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, and the Sweden Democrats. As part of the agreement, the Ministry of the Environment was downgraded from a full ministry to a department of the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation, however, Pourmokhtari told media that there was "absolutely no drop in ambitions" for the government's environmental policy.[10] Later that month, she was named "Sweden's most powerful politician under 30" by Expressen.[11]

In June 2023, she faced criticism after the government's National Climate Conference featured no scientists, environmental NGOs, nor youth representatives on any of its panels.[12] In response to the criticism, she stated that the goal of the conference was to ask business leaders about obstacles they faced to adopt more climate measures and that it would be inappropriate for the government to meet with civil disobedience groups like Extinction Rebellion.[13]

In August 2023, Pourmokhtari announced that the government planned to build ten new nuclear reactors in the next two decades, saying that climate transition requires a doubling of electricity production."[14] In September 2023, the Swedish government announced that it would cutting around 250 million kronor from its environmental budget and would be introducing tax cuts for petrol.[15]

In December 2023, Pourmokhtari and Kristersson announced a new climate strategy for Sweden, aiming to reach net zero by 2045 and including an 800 million kronor increase in subsidies for green businesses as well as the potential development of electric vehicle charging port network across the country.[16] The strategy faced criticism for failing to meet Sweden's 2030 climate goals, as well as for dropping several major points such as a planned ban on petrol car sales in 2030 to satisfy the Sweden Democrats.[17] In response to the criticism, Kristersson stated that Pourmokhtari was "the best climate minister Sweden has ever had."[18]

Pourmokhtari stated in 2024 that she would not be a part of any possible government including the Sweden Democrats following the 2026 election. She also called the party "a racist party with nazi roots".[19][20]

Personal life

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Pourmokhtari grew up in Sundbyberg.[21] Her father is a political refugee from Iran, and it was through him that Romina became interested in politics.[22] According to Pourmokhtari, her parents fled from the country "when freedom was taken from them."[23] During her interview with the Swedish newspaper NU – Det liberala Nyhetsmagasinet, she stated that her first strong political memory was during the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Sweden's new Government". Government of Sweden. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b "New 26-year-old climate minister appointed in Sweden". Al Arabiya English. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  3. ^ Carey, Paul (18 October 2022). "Romina Pourmokhtari, 26, becomes Sweden's youngest minister". The National. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Romina Pourmokhtari tar över Liberala ungdomsförbundet", Dagens Industri, 17 August 2019, archived from the original on 21 October 2022, retrieved 19 October 2022
  5. ^ "LUF: Här är våra krav för att gå till val med Liberalerna". Expresse. 29 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Liberala ungdomsförbundets ordförande avgår". 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022 – via Sveriges Radio.
  7. ^ Söderholm, Elin (6 November 2022). "Erik Berg vald till ny ordförande för LUF". Liberala ungdomsförbundet. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Pourmokhtari (L) lovar att fälla regering där SD ingår". Dagens Nyheter. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  9. ^ Persson, Ida; Lindvall, Julia (18 October 2022). "Yngsta ministern om SD-motståndet: "Samma åsikter som innan"". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  10. ^ Persson, Ida (18 October 2022). "Yngsta ministern om SD-motståndet: "Samma åsikter som innan"". SVT Nyheter. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  11. ^ ""Jag kommer inte trycka på någon jävla röd knapp"". Expressen. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Inga klimatforskare på regeringens klimatmöte". Sydsvenskan. 15 June 2023. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  13. ^ Björkman, Frederik (16 June 2023). "Ministerns svar efter forskarkritiken: "Fel fokus"". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  14. ^ Bryant, Miranda (10 August 2023). "Sweden criticised over plan to build at least 10 new nuclear reactors". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  15. ^ Bryant, Miranda (21 September 2023). "Swedish government faces backlash after slashing climate budget". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Government and Sweden Democrats deliver new climate strategy". Radio Sweden. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Swedish minister faces no-confidence vote over 'irresponsible' climate plan". The Local Sweden. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  18. ^ Aro, Emilia (21 December 2023). "Kristersson: Den bästa klimatminister Sverige haft". Radio Sweden. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  19. ^ url=https://www.msn.com/sv-se/nyheter/inrikes/pourmokhtari-inte-aktuellt-med-sd-i-regering/ar-BB1jlZ4m
  20. ^ url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/mQXVkv/pourmokhtari-inte-aktuellt-med-sd-i-regering
  21. ^ Vill du veta mer om Romina Pourmokhtari? Allt om uppväxten, pojkvännen och dissen mot innerstadsbarn. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2023. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  22. ^ "Allt om Romina Pourmokhtari – Sveriges yngsta minister någonsin". Nyheter24. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  23. ^ Hon tar över Liberala ungdomsförbundet. 17 August 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022 – via Svenska Dagbladet.
  24. ^ ""Vi demonstrerade på hustaken i Iran" | Tidningen Nu". 22 August 2019. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
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