Swedish economy minister announces surprise departure

Sweden's Economy Minister Ibrahim Baylan has announced a surprise departure from politics.

He will not run again in the next parliamentary election, the Turkish-born Social Democrat told broadcaster Radio Sweden on Thursday. He said it was time to do something else.

He will officially leave his ministerial post at a party congress at the beginning of November - at which Prime Minister Stefan Lofven will also resign from the chairmanship of the Social Democrats and hand over the post of head of government.

Lofven announced the move in August amid months of turmoil in his minority government.

The 49-year-old Baylan was the first immigrant to hold a Swedish ministerial post, and has been minister of economic affairs since 2019.

He had previously held several other cabinet posts.