Ibrahim Baylan
Encyclopedia
Ibrahim Baylan, is a Swedish
politician
and a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
. He was Minister for Schools in the cabinet of Göran Persson
from 2004 to 2006 and was replaced by Jan Björklund
of the Liberal People's Party
following the defeat of the Social Democrats in the 2006 election
. He is now a member of the Riksdag
.
, Turkey
, belonging to the Syriac Orthodox Church
. His parents left the country with him in the early 1980s. They settled in Botkyrka, a suburb of Stockholm
. He studied economics
at Umeå University
and was engaged in student politics. In 1997 he became the chair of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League
in Umeå
. The same year, he was elected chair of the Umeå Union of Students and also became a member of the municipal school board.
From 2000 Baylan worked as an ombudsman for the Swedish Union of Commercial Salaried Employees
. He ran unsuccessfully on the Social Democratic ballot for the 2004 European Parliament election
. Later in the same year, he was appointed to be Minister for Schools by Prime Minister
Göran Persson
, becoming the first non-European immigrant to become a member of a Swedish government cabinet. 2007 he was elected chairman of the Swedish parliamentary commeete of transportation and communication. 2009 he became sectretary general of the Swedish Socialdemokratic party. He resigned in march 2011.
As Minister for Schools he was involved in a controversy about a report from the Swedish National Agency for Education
that was withdrawn after criticism from minister Baylan. He was reported to the Swedish Committee on the Constitution and called to a hearing on 12 April 2005.
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 a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
. He was Minister for Schools in the cabinet of Göran Persson
Cabinet of Göran Persson
Göran Persson served as Prime Minister of Sweden between March 22, 1996 and October 6, 2006. Persson took over after Ingvar Carlsson, who retired as party leader and Prime Minister...
from 2004 to 2006 and was replaced by Jan Björklund
Jan Björklund
Jan Arne Björklund is a Swedish politician. He is the leader of the Liberal People's Party and serves as Minister for Education and Deputy Prime Minister in the Swedish government.- Education and military career :...
of the Liberal People's Party
Liberal People's Party (Sweden)
The Liberal People's Party is a political party in Sweden. The party advocates social liberalism and is part of the governing centre-right coalition The Alliance, which achieved a majority in the general election of 17 September 2006...
following the defeat of the Social Democrats in the 2006 election
Swedish general election, 2006
A general election was held in Sweden on 17 September 2006, to elect members to the Swedish parliament. All 349 seats were up for election: 310 "fixed seats" in 29 constituencies and 39 members at a national level for what are called "adjustment seats", used to ensure that parties have...
. He is now a member of the Riksdag
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...
.
Early life and career
Ibrahim Baylan is an ethnic Assyrian/Syriac, born in the village Salah in Tur AbdinTur Abdin
Tur Abdin is a hilly region of south east Turkey incorporating the eastern half of Mardin Province, and Şırnak Province west of the Tigris, on the border with Syria. The name 'Tur Abdin' is from the Syriac language meaning 'mountain of the servants '. Tur Abdin is of great importance to Syriac...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, belonging to the Syriac Orthodox Church
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
. His parents left the country with him in the early 1980s. They settled in Botkyrka, a suburb of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. He studied economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Umeå University
Umeå University
Umeå University is a university in Umeå in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965 and is the fifth oldest within Sweden's present borders....
and was engaged in student politics. In 1997 he became the chair of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League
Swedish Social Democratic Youth League
The Swedish Social Democratic Youth League is a branch of the Swedish social democratic party Socialdemokraterna and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation...
in Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
. The same year, he was elected chair of the Umeå Union of Students and also became a member of the municipal school board.
From 2000 Baylan worked as an ombudsman for the Swedish Union of Commercial Salaried Employees
Swedish Union of Commercial Salaried Employees
The Swedish Union of Commercial Salaried Employees is a trade union in Sweden. It has a membership of 160,000 and represents workers in a variety of industries, ranging from wholesaling, transport, freight forwarding, civil aviation and travel agencies to retailing, media companies and private...
. He ran unsuccessfully on the Social Democratic ballot for the 2004 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
. Later in the same year, he was appointed to be Minister for Schools by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
Göran Persson
Göran Persson
Hans Göran Persson was the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1996 to 2006 and the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 2007. Conceding defeat in the September 2006 general election, he announced that he would resign as party leader, and Mona Sahlin was elected to succeed him as...
, becoming the first non-European immigrant to become a member of a Swedish government cabinet. 2007 he was elected chairman of the Swedish parliamentary commeete of transportation and communication. 2009 he became sectretary general of the Swedish Socialdemokratic party. He resigned in march 2011.
As Minister for Schools he was involved in a controversy about a report from the Swedish National Agency for Education
Swedish National Agency for Education
The Swedish National Agency for Education is a government agency in Sweden that oversees the Swedish public school system for children and adults.- External links :*, official website...
that was withdrawn after criticism from minister Baylan. He was reported to the Swedish Committee on the Constitution and called to a hearing on 12 April 2005.