In the face of heavy criticism, <person>Anna Kinberg Batra</person>, 47, said she needed to step aside so Sweden's main opposition party could focus on issues and win back support from the voters for the September 2018 election. <person>Kinberg Batra</person> resigned August 25, after about three years in the job. She had announced earlier this year that she would enter into talks with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, in an attempt to put pressure on the Swedish government, but the move backfired and began a firestorm of scrutiny on her leadership and the platform of the Moderate party.