Swedish cabinet member Maud Olofsson on Friday announced she was to step down as leader of the Centre Party in September after faring badly in last year's general election, dpa reported.
The 55-year-old became party leader in 2001, and oversaw her party's decision to join a centre-right alliance that in 2006 defeated the long-ruling Social Democrats.
Olofsson, who is minister for enterprise and energy, said she would "like to stay on in the cabinet but it was a matter for her successor to decide." It was not immediately clear if she would leave the government.
She declined to name who she favoured to succeed her, adding that by stepping down in September her successor would have sufficient time to prepare for the next elections.
After last year's ballot - in which the Centre Party suffered losses and Olofsson lost the title as deputy prime minister - Olofsson appeared to be unwilling to contest a fourth general election as party leader.
"Ten years (as party leader) is a very long time," she said.