List of prime ministers of Sweden
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The Prime Minister (Swedish: statsminister, literally "Minister of the State") is the head of government in Sweden. Before the creation of the office of Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government distinct from its head of state the monarch, who traditionally held all executive authority. Louis De Geer, the architect of the bicameral Riksdag of 1866 that replaced the centuries-old Riksdag of the Estates became Sweden's first prime minister in 1876. As of 2020[update], the current Prime Minister of Sweden is Stefan Löfven, leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party. The list below contains statistics about the tenures of each of the Prime Ministers of Sweden since 1876.
List of Prime Ministers
Before 1876, when the office of Prime Minister was created, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from the monarch. The most-senior member of the Privy Council during absolute rule this was the Lord High Chancellor, who had similarities to the office of a head of government. This was most evident during the so-called Age of Liberty from 1718 to 1772, when the monarch's powers were greatly reduced and the President of the Privy Council became the most powerful political figure in Sweden.
- ^ The General Electoral League (1904–1938) was formed as a national campaign organisation for the early conservative and protectionist groups represented in the Riksdag. Parties affiliated with the organisation include the Lantmanna Party, the Protectionist Party and the National Party. The various parliamentary groups coalesced into a single party in 1935. The General Electoral League was renamed as the National Organisation of the Right (1938–1952) and the Rightist Party (1952–1969). The present name, Moderate Party, was adopted in 1969.
- ^ The Liberal Coalition Party (1900–1924) was formed from the consolidation of various early liberal, centrist and pro-free trade politicians in the Riksdag. The party split on the issue of prohibition to form the Freeminded People's Party (1924–1934) and the Liberal Party of Sweden (1924–1934). The two parties later reconciled and merged resulting in the formation of the People's Party (1934–1990). The People's Party was renamed as the Liberal People's Party (1990–2015). The present name, Liberals, was adopted in 2015.
- ^ The Social Democrats are officially named the Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party.
- ^ The Centre Party was formerly known as the Farmers' League (1913–1957). The present name was adopted in 1957.
Timeline
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/t619knft0et621kfmvl0nrcfo363u3f.png)
Statistics (including Swedish Prime Ministers during the Swedish-Norwegian union)
# | Prime Minister | Spells | Date of birth | Age at ascension (first term) |
Time in office (total) |
Age at retirement (last term) |
Date of death | Longevity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Louis De Geer, Sr. | 1 | 18 July 1818 | 57 years, 246 days | 4 years, 30 days | 61 years, 276 days | 24 September 1896 | 78 years, 68 days |
2 | Arvid Posse | 1 | 15 February 1820 | 60 years, 64 days | 3 years, 58 days | 63 years, 121 days | 24 April 1901 | 81 years, 68 days |
3 | Carl Johan Thyselius | 1 | 8 June 1811 | 72 years, 5 days | 338 days | 72 years, 342 days | 11 January 1891 | 79 years, 217 days |
4 | Robert Themptander | 1 | 14 February 1844 | 40 years, 92 days | 3 years, 266 days | 43 years, 357 days | 30 January 1897 | 52 years, 47 days |
5 | Gillis Bildt | 1 | 16 October 1820 | 67 years, 113 days | 1 year, 248 days | 68 years, 361 days | 22 October 1894 | 74 years, 6 days |
6 | Gustaf Åkerhielm | 1 | 24 July 1833 | 56 years, 80 days | 1 year, 271 days | 57 years, 351 days | 2 April 1900 | 66 years, 252 days |
7 | Erik Gustaf Boström | 2 | 11 February 1842 | 49 years, 149 days | 11 years, 346 days | 63 years, 61 days | 21 February 1907 | 65 years, 10 days |
8 | Fredrik von Otter | 1 | 11 April 1833 | 67 years, 154 days | 1 year, 296 days | 69 years, 85 days | 9 March 1910 | 76 years, 332 days |
9 | Johan Ramstedt | 1 | 7 November 1852 | 52 years, 157 days | 111 days | 52 years, 268 days | 15 March 1935 | 82 years, 128 days |
10 | Christian Lundeberg | 1 | 14 July 1842 | 63 years, 19 days | 97 days | 63 years, 116 days | 10 November 1911 | 69 years, 119 days |
11 | Karl Staaff | 2 | 21 January 1860 | 45 years, 290 days | 2 years, 336 days | 54 years, 27 days | 4 October 1915 | 55 years, 256 days |
12 | Arvid Lindman | 2 | 19 September 1862 | 43 years, 252 days | 7 years, 14 days | 49 years, 18 days | 9 December 1936 | 74 years, 81 days |
13 | Hjalmar Hammarskjöld | 1 | 4 February 1862 | 52 years, 13 days | 3 years, 41 days | 55 years, 54 days | 12 October 1953 | 91 years, 250 days |
14 | Carl Swartz | 1 | 5 June 1858 | 58 years, 298 days | 203 days | 59 years, 136 days | 6 November 1926 | 68 years, 154 days |
15 | Nils Edén | 1 | 25 August 1871 | 46 years, 55 days | 2 years, 143 days | 48 years, 198 days | 16 June 1945 | 73 years, 295 days |
16 | Hjalmar Branting | 3 | 23 November 1860 | 59 years, 108 days | 2 years, 152 days | 64 years, 62 days | 24 February 1925 | 64 years, 93 days |
17 | Louis De Geer, Jr. | 1 | 27 November 1854 | 65 years, 335 days | 119 days | 66 years, 88 days | 25 February 1935 | 80 years, 90 days |
18 | Oscar von Sydow | 1 | 12 July 1873 | 47 years, 226 days | 232 days | 48 years, 93 days | 19 August 1936 | 63 years, 38 days |
19 | Ernst Trygger | 1 | 27 October 1857 | 65 years, 174 days | 1 year, 182 days | 66 years, 357 days | 23 September 1943 | 85 years, 331 days |
20 | Rickard Sandler | 1 | 29 January 1884 | 40 years, 361 days | 1 year, 134 days | 42 years, 129 days | 12 November 1964 | 80 years, 288 days |
21 | Carl Gustaf Ekman | 2 | 6 October 1872 | 53 years, 244 days | 4 years, 177 days | 59 years, 305 days | 15 June 1945 | 72 years, 252 days |
22 | Felix Hamrin | 1 | 14 January 1875 | 57 years, 205 days | 49 days | 57 years, 254 days | 27 November 1937 | 62 years, 317 days |
23 | Per Albin Hansson | 2 | 28 October 1885 | 46 years, 332 days | 13 years, 277 days | 60 years, 343 days | 6 October 1946 | 60 years, 343 days |
24 | Axel Pehrsson-Bramstorp | 1 | 19 August 1883 | 52 years, 305 days | 101 days | 53 years, 40 days | 19 February 1954 | 70 years, 184 days |
25 | Tage Erlander | 1 | 13 June 1901 | 45 years, 120 days | 23 years, 3 days | 68 years, 123 days | 21 June 1985 | 84 years, 8 days |
26 | Olof Palme | 2 | 30 January 1927 | 42 years, 257 days | 10 years, 139 days | 59 years, 30 days | 28 February 1986 | 59 years, 29 days |
27 | Thorbjörn Fälldin | 2 | 24 April 1926 | 50 years, 167 days | 5 years, 10 days | 56 years, 167 days | 23 July 2016 | 90 years, 90 days |
28 | Ola Ullsten | 1 | 23 June 1931 | 47 years, 117 days | 359 days | 48 years, 111 days | 28 May 2018 | 86 years, 339 days |
29 | Ingvar Carlsson | 2 | 9 November 1934 | 51 years, 112 days | 7 years, 19 days | 61 years, 134 days | Living | 89 years, 218 days |
30 | Carl Bildt | 1 | 15 July 1949 | 42 years, 91 days | 3 years, 3 days | 45 years, 94 days | Living | 74 years, 335 days |
31 | Göran Persson | 1 | 20 January 1949 | 47 years, 62 days | 10 years, 198 days | 57 years, 259 days | Living | 75 years, 146 days |
32 | Fredrik Reinfeldt | 1 | 4 August 1965 | 41 years, 63 days | 7 years, 362 days | 49 years, 60 days | Living | 58 years, 315 days |
33 | Stefan Löfven | 1 | 21 July 1957 | 57 years, 73 days | 9 years, 255 days | Incumbent | Living | 66 years, 329 days |
Records
- The earliest-born prime minister was the third to enter office, Carl Johan Thyselius who born on 8 June 1811. The latest-born is Fredrik Reinfeldt, who was born on 4 August 1965.
- The first prime minister to die (who also happens to be the first one born) was the third one to enter office (Carl Johan Thyselius), who died on 11 January 1891. The latest one to die was Ola Ullsten, who died on 28 May 2018.
- The oldest prime minister was Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, who died at 91 years, 250 days. Of those still living, Ingvar Carlsson is the oldest, at an age of 89 years, 218 days.
- The youngest prime minister at his death has been Robert Themptander, who died at an age of 52 years, 351 days.
- The oldest prime minister to enter office was Carl Johan Thyselius, who entered office at 72 years, 5 days. The youngest one was his closest successor Robert Themptander, who entered office at 40 years, 92 days.
- The record for longest period in office is held by Tage Erlander at 23 years, 3 days. The shortest period in office is held by Östen Undén (5 days), but as he was only acting PM. The shortest ordinary period was Felix Hamrin's, lasting for 49 days.
- The longest timespan between two terms of the same minister was between Arvid Lindman's, at 16 years, 361 days between the end of his first term (7 October 1911) and the beginning of his second term (2 October 1928). The shortest timespan between two terms of the same minister was 101 days, which was the time of Axel Pehrsson-Bramstorp's term between the end of Per Albin Hansson's first (19 June 1936) and the beginning of his second (28 September 1936).
- Most periods in office, three, is held by Hjalmar Branting, while Erik Gustaf Boström, Karl Staaf, Arvid Lindman, Per-Albin Hansson, Olof Palme, Thorbjörn Fälldin and Ingvar Carlsson all held office twice, with at least one other Prime Minister in office between the periods.
- From 1969 to 1986, Palme was replaced by Fälldin (1976), who was replaced by Ullsten (1978), who was replaced by Fälldin again (1979) and he was eventually replaced by Palme again (1982).
- Two prime ministers, Per Albin Hansson and Olof Palme, have died in office. Palme is the only one who has been assassinated.
- Hjalmar Branting had the shortest time between leaving office and death, dying 31 days after his resignation because of health issues from Myocarditis and gallstone. The prime minister living the longest after resignation was Ola Ullsten who lived for 38 years and 228 days after leaving the office.
- The largest number of former and present prime minister living at the same time is 11, which has happened once. This period lasted from 24 September 1932 (the ascension of Per Albin Hansson) to 25 February 1935 (the death of Louis De Geer, Jr.) (2 years, 154 days). During that time, Hansson was in office and former still-living prime ministers were Johan Ramstedt, Arvid Lindman, Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, Nils Edén, Louis De Geer, Jr., Oscar von Sydow, Ernst Trygger, Rickard Sandler, Carl Gustaf Ekman, and Felix Hamrin.
See also
- Prime Minister of Sweden
- Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden
- Swedish governmental line of succession
- Elections in Sweden
- List of cabinets of Sweden
- List of Swedish politicians
- List of Spouses of the Prime Ministers of Sweden