Alf Svensson
Encyclopedia
Alf Robert Olof Svensson (born 1 October 1938) is a Swedish
politician
and Member of the European Parliament
from 2009. Alf was the leader of the Christian Democrats in Sweden between 1973 and 3 April 2004. He was a Member of Parliament
from 1985 to 1988 and again from 1991 until his election to the European Parliament in 2009. Between 1991 and 1994 he was Minister for Development Cooperation in the liberal-conservative Cabinet led by Prime Minister Carl Bildt
.
and history at a school in Huskvarna
from 1963 to 1973.
He was a member of the Christian Democrats from its foundation in 1964, and was one of the founders of its youth wing, Young Christian Democrats, in 1966, and was its chairman from 1970 to 1973. In 1973 he became the leader of the party, after its first leader Birger Ekstedt
had died in 1972.
In the 1985 elections
, the Christian Democrats, who had so far not won any parliamentary representation, entered into an election alliance with Centre Party
. This gave Alf Svensson a seat in parliament, which made him the first Christian Democrat MP, but he was the only person of his party who received a seat, which was a disappoinment for the party. In the 1988 elections
, the alliance had been dissolved, and the Christian Democrats failed to get enough votes to enter the parliament on their own. In the 1991 elections
, they managed to get into parliament, and Svensson received a ministerial post in the four-party coalition government under Carl Bildt.
In 2004, he left the position as party leader and was succeeded by Göran Hägglund
, but stayed in parliament. In 2009 election
to the European Parliament, he was elected as MEP, and left the Swedish parliament.
Alf Svensson, whose leadership of the Christian Democrats spanned four decades (1973–2004), is a firm supporter of the European Union
and the Economic and Monetary Union
, unlike many of his voters who are in general more skeptical to an introduction of the euro
.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
from 2009. Alf was the leader of the Christian Democrats in Sweden between 1973 and 3 April 2004. He was a Member of Parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
from 1985 to 1988 and again from 1991 until his election to the European Parliament in 2009. Between 1991 and 1994 he was Minister for Development Cooperation in the liberal-conservative Cabinet led by Prime Minister Carl Bildt
Carl Bildt
, Honorary KCMG is a Swedish politician, diplomat and nobleman. Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, Bildt has served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs since 6 October 2006...
.
Biography
Alf Svensson was educated as a teacher, and worked as teacher in SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
and history at a school in Huskvarna
Huskvarna
Huskvarna constitutes the eastern part of Jönköping, the municipal seat of Jönköping Municipality, Sweden and has a population of about 21,500. The distance to central Jönköping is about 5 km....
from 1963 to 1973.
He was a member of the Christian Democrats from its foundation in 1964, and was one of the founders of its youth wing, Young Christian Democrats, in 1966, and was its chairman from 1970 to 1973. In 1973 he became the leader of the party, after its first leader Birger Ekstedt
Birger Ekstedt
Birger Ekstedt, , was a Swedish politician and a priest.Birger Ekstedt began his political career as a cultural-conservative member of the right-wing youth organisation, Högerns Ungdomsförbund and a frequent editorial in their newspaper.After losing a battle over the party's manifesto in 1956 he...
had died in 1972.
In the 1985 elections
Swedish general election, 1985
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 15 September 1985.-Election campaign:At a campaign meeting in Sundsvall on 22 August, Minister of social welfare Sten Andersson promised to increase the state pensions as a compensation for the price increases following the devaluation of the krona in 1982...
, the Christian Democrats, who had so far not won any parliamentary representation, entered into an election alliance with Centre Party
Centre Party (Sweden)
The Centre Party is a centrist political party in Sweden. The party maintains close ties to rural Sweden and describes itself as "a green social liberal party". The ideology is sometimes called agrarian, but in a European context, the Centre Party can perhaps best be characterized as social...
. This gave Alf Svensson a seat in parliament, which made him the first Christian Democrat MP, but he was the only person of his party who received a seat, which was a disappoinment for the party. In the 1988 elections
Swedish general election, 1988
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 18 September 1988. The elections saw the Green Party elected to parliament for the first time....
, the alliance had been dissolved, and the Christian Democrats failed to get enough votes to enter the parliament on their own. In the 1991 elections
Swedish general election, 1991
Election to the Parliament of Sweden was held on 15 September 1991. The election, like all parliamentary elections in Sweden, was conducted using a party-list proportional representation system....
, they managed to get into parliament, and Svensson received a ministerial post in the four-party coalition government under Carl Bildt.
In 2004, he left the position as party leader and was succeeded by Göran Hägglund
Göran Hägglund
Bo Göran Hägglund is a Swedish politician and the current leader of the Christian Democrats of Sweden . He was elected Party Leader on 3 April 2004, succeeding Alf Svensson...
, but stayed in parliament. In 2009 election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Sweden)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in Sweden was held on 7 June 2009 and determined the makeup of the Swedish delegation to the European Parliament. The election was held using a modified form of the Sainte-Laguë method of party-list proportional representation using the entire country as a...
to the European Parliament, he was elected as MEP, and left the Swedish parliament.
Alf Svensson, whose leadership of the Christian Democrats spanned four decades (1973–2004), is a firm supporter of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the Economic and Monetary Union
Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union
The Economic and Monetary Union is an umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of members of the European Union in three stages so as to allow them to adopt a single currency, the euro. As such, it is largely synonymous with the eurozone.All member states of the...
, unlike many of his voters who are in general more skeptical to an introduction of the euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
.