Landerholm, a close friend of Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and hand-picked for his role, has come under fire in the past few months over a series of incidents first revealed by the DN newspaper, including leaving his notebook at public radio broadcaster SR's studios, and his mobile phone at the embassy of Hungary during the Nato talks.
Last week, Expressen reported that prosecutors handling security cases were mulling whether or not Landerholm also leaving highly classified documents at a conference centre in 2023 could be considered a crime and therefore warrant a formal investigation.
On Monday Landerholm confirmed an investigation had been launched.
“I have been informed that a preliminary investigation has been opened into the incident of the documents left behind at a conference cenre. I have informed the prime minister of this and we agree that I under the circumstances can no longer fulfil my duties,” said Landerholm, announcing his resignation in an email to the TT newswire.
“The almost two-year-old incident which is now being investigated once more, was reported to and investigated by the government offices’ security department, which found that, beyond conversations, required no further action against me. Now we will have to see what conclusion the prosecutor will reach,” he continued.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he agreed it was right for Landerholm to step down, echoing his words about not being able to carry out his duties under the circumstances.
“As I have said all along, it is important not to be careless and not to make mistakes. The legal process must now take its course,” Kristersson said in a written statement.
Earlier in January, the Aftonbladet newspaper reported that Landerholm had also got the government office to refund his travel receipts – or in other words let the tax payers pick up the tab – when he travelled to his girlfriend who lived in Berlin.
Landerholm said at the time that he on a few occasions had booked work trips which "either went via Berlin, or finished in Berlin instead of in Stockholm", which he only later found out do then not count as official work trips under government rules.
"In these cases I've cancelled the trip or asked for a salary reduction," he said, listing all trips in a comment on the platform X.
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