Ulf Kristersson
Encyclopedia
Ulf Hjalmar Kristersson (born 1963) is a Swedish
Moderate Party
politician and one of the vice mayors in Stockholm
. He was born in Skåne and grew up there and in Södermanland
. After finishing secondary school at S:t Eskils gymnasium in Eskilstuna
and completing a degree in economics at Uppsala University
, he was elected chairman of the Moderate Youth League
in 1988. When he stood for re-election the second time in 1992, he was opposed by Fredrik Reinfeldt
, who is now the leader of the Moderate Party. The congress was preceded by considerable ideological divisions between Libertarians
and Conservatives
. All this erupted at the congress in Lycksele
, which came to be known as The Battle of Lycksele. Kristersson, the Libertarian
alternative, lost narrowly. On October 5th 2010 he became Minister for Social Security.
He was predicted as a future leader of the party before his loss. It is said that his loss caused his withdrawal from front-line politics and he was subsequently known as part of "Lost Generation" of the Moderate Party.
In 1991 Ulf Kristersson was elected to the Riksdag
and served until 2000. He worked in the private sphere before being elected a Commissioner for Finance in Strängnäs in 2003. After the landslide for the centre-right Alliance in the Stockholm municipal election in 2006, Kristersson became vice mayor with responsible for social welfare and labour division.
Kristersson was also asked by Fredrik Reinfeldt to lead the committee responsible for developing a new family policy for the party. He immediately caused controversy by suggesting that fathers must take a month of paternity leave for the family to receive all benefits. This was clearly in conflict with traditional Moderate Party policy, which has centred on individual choice.
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....
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...
politician and one of the vice mayors in 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 was born in Skåne and grew up there and in Södermanland
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
. After finishing secondary school at S:t Eskils gymnasium in Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 60,185 inhabitants in 2005. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population....
and completing a degree in economics at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
, he was elected chairman of the Moderate Youth League
Moderate Youth League
The Moderate Youth League , officially known in English as the Swedish Young Conservatives, is the youth wing of the Swedish Moderate Party. It had 12 051 members in 2010...
in 1988. When he stood for re-election the second time in 1992, he was opposed by Fredrik Reinfeldt
Fredrik Reinfeldt
John Fredrik Reinfeldt is the Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and former President of the European Council...
, who is now the leader of the Moderate Party. The congress was preceded by considerable ideological divisions between Libertarians
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
and Conservatives
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
. All this erupted at the congress in Lycksele
Lycksele
- References :...
, which came to be known as The Battle of Lycksele. Kristersson, the Libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
alternative, lost narrowly. On October 5th 2010 he became Minister for Social Security.
He was predicted as a future leader of the party before his loss. It is said that his loss caused his withdrawal from front-line politics and he was subsequently known as part of "Lost Generation" of the Moderate Party.
In 1991 Ulf Kristersson was elected to 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...
and served until 2000. He worked in the private sphere before being elected a Commissioner for Finance in Strängnäs in 2003. After the landslide for the centre-right Alliance in the Stockholm municipal election in 2006, Kristersson became vice mayor with responsible for social welfare and labour division.
Kristersson was also asked by Fredrik Reinfeldt to lead the committee responsible for developing a new family policy for the party. He immediately caused controversy by suggesting that fathers must take a month of paternity leave for the family to receive all benefits. This was clearly in conflict with traditional Moderate Party policy, which has centred on individual choice.