Elisabet Lann fainted on the very same day she was officially announced as Sweden’s new Minister for Health, Tuesday, Sept. 9.
The dramatic incident unfolded just hours after her appointment. During a press conference held alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Christian Democrats party leader Ebba Busch, Lann, 48, suddenly collapsed while standing at the podium. Footage from SESVT, shared by CBS News, showed her listening quietly as another official spoke when she slowly slumped forward, pulling down the translucent podium as she fell unconscious.
Other government officials and journalists quickly rushed to her side. Security staff also stepped in to assist before helping her out of the room. Despite the scare, Lann returned to the press conference a short while later and reassured the audience that the episode had been caused by a sudden “blood sugar drop.”
“This was not exactly a normal Tuesday, and this is what can happen when you have a blood sugar drop,” Lann explained upon resuming the event.
Though she appeared shaken, Lann did not seem seriously injured, and it remains unclear whether she received medical attention following the fall. According to SVT, she briefly left the room once more before ultimately returning to complete her official duties for the day.
Her collapse came at a remarkable moment — her very first day as Sweden’s Minister for Health. She stepped into the role following the resignation of her predecessor, Acko Ankarberg Johansson, on Monday, Sept. 8. Johansson had served in the position for three years and had been active in the Christian Democratic Party since 1986.
Lann, a member of the Christian Democrats herself, has a background in both local and national politics. She began serving as a municipal councilor in Gothenburg in 2019 and previously worked as deputy director of the Cabinet Office. She also contributed to the Health Care Responsibility Inquiry. According to her LinkedIn profile, she holds a master’s degree in peace and development studies as well as political science.
Her sudden collapse on Tuesday has drawn attention not only because of the dramatic footage but also because it happened so soon after assuming one of Sweden’s most high-profile government positions.
