Sweden’s newly appointed health minister, Elisabet Lann, collapsed on stage during her first press conference on Tuesday, prompting concern and confusion before she later reassured the public that she had suffered a sudden drop in blood sugar.
The incident occurred just moments after Lann had finished addressing reporters.
Video footage shows the minister standing beside colleagues as the room shared a lighthearted exchange, before she suddenly lost consciousness and fell to the floor, bringing down her lectern.
Security officials and aides rushed to her side as the briefing was abruptly halted.
Within minutes, Lann was assisted off the stage and treated by on-site staff. She later returned to the podium, appearing composed and smiling, where she explained that she had fainted due to low blood sugar levels.
The collapse came on the same day that Lann, a Christian Democrat, was officially announced as health minister.
She replaces Acko Ankarberg Johansson, who resigned unexpectedly on Monday after nearly two years in the role.
Johansson, a veteran of the party for four decades, described her departure as the end of a “privilege to work for and with the Christian Democratic movement.”
Party colleagues, including secretary Liza-Maria Norlin and leader Ebba Busch, paid tribute to Johansson’s service and commitment.
Before her ministerial appointment, Lann served as a municipal councillor in Gothenburg.
Her promotion marks a significant step for the 45-year-old politician, who has been a rising figure in the Christian Democrats’ regional leadership.
Despite the alarming scenes, government officials moved quickly to reassure the public about Lann’s health, insisting there was no cause for concern.
Still, the dramatic start to her tenure has placed Sweden’s new health minister under the spotlight, raising questions over both her wellbeing and her ability to manage one of the country’s most demanding portfolios.
