Göran Hägglund
| Göran Hägglund | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Leader of the Christian Democrats | |
| In office 3 April 2004 – 25 April 2015 |
|
| Deputy | Maria Larsson |
| Preceded by | Alf Svensson |
| Succeeded by | Ebba Busch Thor |
| Minister for Social Affairs | |
| In office 6 October 2006 – 3 October 2014 |
|
| Prime Minister | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Preceded by | Berit Andnor |
| Succeeded by | Gabriel Wikström |
| Member of the Riksdag | |
| In office 30 September 1991 – 25 April 2015 |
|
| Constituency | Halland County |
| Father of the House | |
| In office 1 January 2015 – 25 April 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Per Westerberg |
| Succeeded by | Krister Örnfjäder |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 January 1959 Degerfors, Värmland |
| Political party | Christian Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Married |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Religion | Church of Sweden |
Bo Göran Hägglund (born 27 January 1959) is a Swedish politician of the Christian Democrats. He was Leader of the Christian Democrats from 2004 to 2015, Member of the Riksdag from 1991 to 2015 and served as Minister for Social Affairs from 2006 to 2014.
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Political career
Hägglund was born in Degerfors in central Sweden, but moved to Jönköping, a Christian Democratic stronghold, with his family in 1978.
He started his political career in the Christian Democratic youth organisation. From 1978 he was employed by the party, first as ombudsman for the local Christian Democratic Youth, and from 1981 for the regional party branch. From 1982 to 1986 he was also a member of the Municipal Council in Jönköping.
Following the 1985 elections, he started to work as parliamentary secretary for the Christian Democrats. In 1988 he temporarily left politics to start working for an insurance company. In the parliamentary elections of 1991 he was elected a Member of Parliament.
Hägglund is the Riksdag's Father of the House since 1 January 2015, first elected in 1991 and oldest among those elected in 1991.
Party leader
Hägglund was generally considered to be long-time party leader Alf Svensson's personal favourite as a successor. However, when Svensson announced his plans to step down, two other candidates, Maria Larsson and Mats Odell, had the support of a bigger number of regional party organisations. Not even Hägglund's own Jönköping district stood behind him. Eventually, however, all Hägglund's possible contenders withdrew from the race, and his election as party leader on 3 April 2004 was unanimous.[1]
Prior to the Swedish general election in 2006 Hägglund's Christian Democrats formed a closer alliance with the three other centre-right parties in Sweden, under the name Alliance for Sweden. After their victory in the elections, Fredrik Reinfeldt of the Moderate Party was asked by the Speaker of the Riksdag to form a new government. Following negotiations between the leaders of the parties in the Alliance for Sweden, Göran Hägglund was named Minister for Social Affairs on 6 October 2006.
In the autumn of 2011 he was challenged by party colleague Mats Odell on the post of party leader. In an extra congress held on 28 January 2012 Hägglund's confidence on the post of party leader was renewed, defeating challenger Mats Odell.
During a party rally in Gothenburg in 2014, Hägglund was hit with a pie by a queer anarchist.[2][3]
On 29 January 2015, Hägglund announced that he would step down as party leader at an extra party congress on 25 April. Ebba Busch Thor will be elected new party leader at the same congress.[4]
Minister for Social Affairs
Hägglund was appointed Minister for Social Affairs on 6 October 2006 by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.
As minister, Hägglund enforced several reforms including the reform of the health insurance system which became a highly controversial reform. Hägglund also implemented municipal allowance which replaced the former state allowance. The pharmacy monopoly was abolished on 1 July 2009 and the alcohol law was liberalized in 2010.
Deduction for household services, so-called RUT deduction was introduced in 2007 as well as the legislation of same-sex marriages in 2009.
Personal life
Hägglund grew up in the Pentecostal movement, but is now a member of the Church of Sweden. He is married and has two children.[5]
References
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External links
- (Swedish) Christian Democrats: Göran Hägglund
- Swedish Parliament: Göran Hägglund
- Government of Sweden: Göran Hägglund
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New office | Group Leader of the Christian Democrats in the Swedish Riksdag 1991–2002 |
Succeeded by Stefan Attefall |
| Preceded by
Anders Andersson
|
Second Deputy Party Leader of the Christian Democrats 2003–2004 |
Succeeded by Mats Odell |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Christian Democrats 2004 – 2015 |
Succeeded by Ebba Busch Thor |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Social Affairs 2006–2014 |
Succeeded by Gabriel Wikström |
