Sweden’s new government named Romina Pourmokhtari as Climate Minister on Tuesday. The 26-year-old made herself the youngest person to oversee a Ministry in the home country of teenage climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
The nomination was one of those made by newly elected Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who leads a right-wing government backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats.
Romina Pourmokhtari was previously the head of the Liberal Party’s youth section and has never been associated with climate change.
The young Minister has previously been an outspoken critic of Kristersson’s decision to align his party more closely with the Sweden Democrats (SD).
“Ulf Kristersson without SD – Absolutely. Ulf Kristersson with SD – No thanks,” In 2020, she wrote in a Twitter post.
Born in the Stockholm suburbs to an Iranian family, the young woman inherits the climate and environment portfolio, breaking the previous record of 27 years old for the youngest minister.
Sweden is also the home of teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, who led a large global campaign involving millions of young people that has sparked a flood of debate about the dangers of climate change.
Sweden’s coalition government was revealed on Friday, following Kristersson’s agreement with his partners and the nationalist and anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats, who agreed to back the government in exchange for policy commitments, particularly on immigration and crime.
Kristersson announced the formation of a new Minister post for “civil defence” when presenting the Cabinet, as the country faces tensions with Russia.
The Sweden Democrats were the great winners in the election, coming in second only to the Social Democrats, who have dominated Swedish politics since the 1930s.
The Sweden Democrats’ substantial influence over the four-party agreement has generated problems inside the Liberals, whose backing is equally critical to Kristersson’s survival.