Göran Lindblad
Encyclopedia
Lars Göran Axel Lindblad (born 12 January 1950 Gothenburg
) is a Swedish
politician and member of the Moderate Party
. He served as a member of the Swedish parliament
1997–2010, representing the constituency of Gothenburg
. He served as a replacement member of parliament 1993–1997, and again since 2010. Lindblad has chaired the Swedish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) and served as Vice President of PACE as well as chair of the Political Affairs Committee. He was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly 2004–2010. In October 2011, he was elected President of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience
.
Göran Lindblad has advocated a more humane refugee and migration policy, and is involved in charitable work to improve conditions for refugees.
Lindblad is known internationally for his work to promote democracy
and human rights
. He served as the Council of Europe
rapporteur on crimes of totalitarian communist
regimes. As such, he drafted and championed the resolution Need for international condemnation of crimes of totalitarian communist regimes, which led to the Council of Europe resolution 1481
. It was the first time communism was condemned by an international body of parliamentarians. Lindblad has stated: "Growing up in Sweden, so close to the Evil Soviet Empire, I have always been against communism".
By profession, Lindblad is a dentist, graduating at Gothenburg University
in 1977. He was Vice President of the National Union of Students 1976-77. He is married and has four children.
He is a founding signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
.
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
) is a Swedish
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 and member of the Moderate Party
Moderate Party
The Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament...
. He served as a member of the Swedish 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...
1997–2010, representing the constituency of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. He served as a replacement member of parliament 1993–1997, and again since 2010. Lindblad has chaired the Swedish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
(PACE) and served as Vice President of PACE as well as chair of the Political Affairs Committee. He was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly 2004–2010. In October 2011, he was elected President of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience
Platform of European Memory and Conscience
The Platform of European Memory and Conscience is an educational project of the European Union bringing together government institutions and organisations from EU countries active in research, documentation, awareness raising and education about the crimes of totalitarian regimes...
.
Göran Lindblad has advocated a more humane refugee and migration policy, and is involved in charitable work to improve conditions for refugees.
Lindblad is known internationally for his work to promote democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. He served as the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
rapporteur on crimes of totalitarian communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
regimes. As such, he drafted and championed the resolution Need for international condemnation of crimes of totalitarian communist regimes, which led to the Council of Europe resolution 1481
Council of Europe resolution 1481
In the resolution 1481/2006 of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly issued on January 25, 2006 during its winter session, the Council of Europe "strongly condemns crimes of totalitarian communist regimes"....
. It was the first time communism was condemned by an international body of parliamentarians. Lindblad has stated: "Growing up in Sweden, so close to the Evil Soviet Empire, I have always been against communism".
By profession, Lindblad is a dentist, graduating at Gothenburg University
Gothenburg University
The University of Gothenburg is a university in Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg.- Character :The University of Gothenburg is the third-oldest Swedish university, and with 24,900 full-time students it is also among the largest universities in the Nordic countries...
in 1977. He was Vice President of the National Union of Students 1976-77. He is married and has four children.
He is a founding signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism
The Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism , which was signed on 3 June 2008, was a declaration signed by prominent European politicians, former political prisoners and historians, including past signatories of Charter 77 such as Václav Havel, which called for condemnation of and...
.