This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2018) |
The Liberals Liberalerna | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Abbreviation | L |
Chairperson | Johan Pehrson |
Party secretary | Jakob Olofsgård [1] |
Parliamentary group leader | Lina Nordquist |
Founded | 5 August 1934 |
Merger of | FL and SLP |
Headquarters | Riksgatan 2, Stockholm |
Student wing | Liberala studenter |
Youth wing | Liberal Youth of Sweden |
Membership (2020) | ![]() |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre-right |
European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
European Parliament group | Renew Europe |
International affiliation | Liberal International |
Nordic affiliation | Centre Group |
Colours |
|
Riksdag [3] | 16 / 349 |
European Parliament [4] | 1 / 21 |
County councils [5] | 57 / 1,720 |
Municipal councils [5] | 509 / 12,614 |
Website | |
www | |
The Liberals (Swedish : Liberalerna, L), previously known as the Liberal People's Party (Swedish : Folkpartiet liberalerna) until 22 November 2015, is a conservative-liberal [6] [7] political party in Sweden. The Liberals ideologically have shown a broad variety of liberal tendencies. Currently they are seen as following classical liberalism [8] and economic liberalism, [9] [10] and have been described as being centre-right. [11] [12] [13] The party is a member of the Liberal International and Renew Europe.
Historically, the party was positioned in the centre of the Swedish political landscape, willing to cooperate with both the political left and the right. It has since the leadership of Lars Leijonborg and Jan Björklund in the 2000s positioned itself more towards the right. [11] [14] [15] It was a part of the Alliance centre-right coalition government led by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt from 2006 to 2014. The party's policies include action toward a free market economy and pushing for Sweden to join the Eurozone, as well as investing in nuclear power; [16] it also focuses on gender equality, the school system and quality education. [11] [14]
In February 2019, following the conclusion of government negotiations, Jan Björklund announced his intention to step down from the leadership position after 11 years at the helm of the Liberals. He was succeeded by Nyamko Sabuni in June 2019. [17] After the 2021 Swedish government crisis, the party withdrew its support for Social Democratic Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, and is now part of a right-wing government together with the Moderate Party and the Christian Democrats, with support from the Sweden Democrats, with Ulf Kristersson as their Prime Minister candidate. In an interview with Dagens Nyheter in February 2022, Sabuni stated that the Sweden Democrats will "play an important role in an eventual right-wing government" and that she would not be hesitant to work and collaborate with them, stating that there was a possibility of Liberals supporting a Moderate-Christian Democrats-Sweden Democrats government, even if the Liberals were not included in the government. [18] Since the decision to collaborate with the Sweden Democrats, the party has adopted more right-wing populist viewpoints, such as a more restrictive migration policy, easier withdrawal of citizenship for immigrants, and has strongly criticised Muslim schools. [19] [20] [21] The party ultimately agreed to join the Tidö Agreement and form a coalition government with the Christian Democrats and the Moderate Party, which rely closely on support from the Sweden Democrats. [22]
![]() | This article appears to be slanted towards recent events.(January 2014) |
On 4 September 2006, only weeks before the 2006 general election, the Social Democratic Party reported to the police that its internal network had been hacked into. It has been reported that members of the then-named Liberal People's Party had, in order to counter Social Democrat political propositions, on at least two occasions copied secret information that had not yet been officially released. On 5 September, Party Secretary Johan Jakobsson voluntarily chose to resign. Leading members of the party and its youth organisation both were placed under a police investigation, suspected for criminal activity. All members of the party were acquitted by the court; however, an official of the party's youth organisation, and one from the Social Democrats as well as a newspaper reporter, were found guilty. [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(May 2018) |
![]() | This section needs to be updated.(October 2022) |
The official party ideology has historically been social liberalism, [30] which translates as a strong ideological commitment to a mixed economy, with support for comprehensive but market-based welfare state programs.[ citation needed ]
While initially allied with the Swedish Social Democratic Party in the struggle for democracy (achieved in 1921) and social reform, the People's Party came to be part of the opposition from the thirties and onwards, opposing Social Democrat demands for nationalization of private businesses. It has stayed opposed to the Social Democrats ever since, often as the largest or second-largest party of the opposition block (called the non-socialists or "de borgerliga", approximately the bourgeois), but often equally critical towards parties on the right. Over time, this has shifted towards a more clear-cut rightwing role. In the mid-nineties the party seemed to have ruled out the alternative of co-operation with the Social Democrats, focusing instead on bringing them down by strengthening the opposition.[ citation needed ]
Foreign policy is another high-profile issue. Always oriented towards the United States and the United Kingdom, the party was a strong opponent of Communism and Nazism during the 20th century. While it was part of and supported the Swedish coalition government and its position of neutrality during World War II, the party advocated an active stance against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The party (alongside Moderaterna) actively supported the struggle of the Baltic peoples against the Soviet regime, whereas Social Democrats were wary of irritating the Soviets. [31] As a consequence, it suffered several sharply worded rebukes from the often-ruling Social Democrats for endangering Swedish relations with the Soviet Union. It also criticised what it perceived as Social Democrat tolerance of left-wing dictatorships in the third world, and supported the United States in the Vietnam War. After the end of the Cold War, it became the first Swedish party to call for abandoning the country's traditional neutrality in favor of joining NATO.[ citation needed ]
Among issues concerning the developing world, the party supported decolonization and advocated boycotting South Africa to help overthrow apartheid rule. It also opposed third world Communist dictatorships. Nowadays it is strongly supportive of Israel, and former Party leader Per Ahlmark has been especially vocal on the issue.[ citation needed ]
On the European level, the Liberal People's Party was strongly supportive of the emergence of the European Union and campaigned for Swedish entry into it (which happened in 1995). It also campaigned for joining the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union, but this was voted down by the Swedes in a referendum in 2003. The party has aimed to come across as the most "pro-European" party, trying to break what it refers to as the country's "isolationist" mindset. It is supportive of EU enlargement, including letting Turkey join on condition of democratic reforms, and also advocates further integrative measures, with some members, including the youth organization, openly calling for a single federal European state. [32]
In 2003, the Liberal People's Party supported the invasion of Iraq, but stopped short of demanding Swedish participation in the US-led "coalition of the willing". In recent years, and especially under the leadership of Jan Björklund, the party has moved markedly towards conservative liberalism in its social attitudes, taking tougher stands on areas such as crime and punishment, law and order, school and discipline as well as strengthening its abolitionist policies on drugs. In 2008, the Liberal People's Party's support for a controversial legislative change regulating the National Defence Radio Establishment (FRA) in particular upset its youth organisation.[ citation needed ]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(May 2018) |
Socio-economic group and gender of voters | Percentage of which voting for the Liberals | |||||
Groups/Gender | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue-collar workers | 8 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
White-collar workers | 20 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
Businessmen and farmers | 15 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
Male | 14 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Female | 16 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Source: | [33] |
Historically the party had a strong base in the 'free churches' (Protestant congregations not part of the state church that turned into powerful grassroots movements in the late 19th century), but with the exception of certain regions, that is not a significant feature today. Tensions between factions sometimes described as "the free religionists" and "the metropolitan liberals" (occasionally in the form of an open left-right conflict, with the "free religious" members emphasizing the social aspect over liberal economics) was an important part of party life until the seventies. It provoked a party split in the twenties, centred on the question of an alcohol ban, but differences were eventually repaired. (The re-merging of the parties in 1934 is one of the party's plethora of official creation dates, some others being 1895, 1900 and 1902, providing frequent cause for anniversary celebrations.)
Support for the party is more marked among people above the age of 65, and tends to be higher among people who have completed more education. Its support is lowest among people with a pre-gymnasial education. [34] The party's voters are predominantly urban with more than 30% of L-voters residing in Metropolitan Stockholm. The party's support is especially strong in affluent municipalities such as Danderyd, Lidingö and Lomma. [35] According to Sveriges Television's exit poll for the 2019 European parliament election, voters of the Liberals were the most likely to approve of Sweden's EU membership. [36] In September 2022, 84% of L-voters supported Sweden's bid to join NATO. [37]
The party has a youth organization called Liberal Youth of Sweden (Liberala ungdomsförbundet, LUF), which has its own platform and maintains a separate organisation from the party. [38] Since 2019 its chairperson is Romina Pourmokhtari. [39]
There is also a women's organization called Liberal Women [40] (Liberala Kvinnor, LK, chairperson Cecilia Elving [41] ) and immigrants' organization called Liberal Mångfald, LM, (Liberal Multicultural Association, chairperson Anna Steele Karlström). Additionally, party members maintain a number of small ad hoc "networks" addressing specific issues. [42]
The Liberals is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and Liberal International. It is also part of Liberal organisations on the Nordic and Baltic levels. The party's MEP sits with Renew Europe parliamentary group (previously ALDE).
In the European Committee of the Regions, the Liberals sit in the Renew Europe CoR group with one full member for the 2020-2025 mandate. [43]
Election [44] | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1936 | 376,161 | 12.9 (#4) | 27 / 230 | ![]() | Opposition |
1940 | 344,113 | 12.0 (#3) | 23 / 230 | ![]() | Coalition |
1944 | 398,293 | 12.9 (#4) | 26 / 230 | ![]() | Coalition (1944–1945) |
Opposition (1945–1948) | |||||
1948 | 882,437 | 22.7 (#2) | 57 / 230 | ![]() | Opposition |
1952 | 924,819 | 24.4 (#2) | 58 / 230 | ![]() | Opposition |
1956 | 923,564 | 23.8 (#2) | 58 / 231 | ![]() | Opposition |
1958 | 700,019 | 18.2 (#3) | 38 / 231 | ![]() | Opposition |
1960 | 744,142 | 17.5 (#2) | 40 / 232 | ![]() | Opposition |
1964 | 720,733 | 17.0 (#2) | 43 / 233 | ![]() | Opposition |
1968 | 688,456 | 14.3 (#3) | 34 / 233 | ![]() | Opposition |
1970 | 806,667 | 16.2 (#3) | 58 / 350 | ![]() | Opposition |
1973 | 486,028 | 9.4 (#4) | 34 / 350 | ![]() | Opposition |
1976 | 601,556 | 11.1 (#4) | 39 / 349 | ![]() | Coalition (1976–1978) |
Minority (1978–1979) | |||||
1979 | 577,063 | 10.6 (#4) | 38 / 349 | ![]() | Coalition |
1982 | 327,770 | 5.9 (#4) | 21 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
1985 | 792,268 | 14.2 (#3) | 51 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
1988 | 655,720 | 12.2 (#3) | 44 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
1991 | 499,356 | 9.1 (#3) | 33 / 349 | ![]() | Coalition |
1994 | 399,556 | 7.2 (#4) | 26 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
1998 | 248,076 | 4.7 (#6) | 17 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
2002 | 710,312 | 13.4 (#3) | 48 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
2006 | 418,395 | 7.5 (#4) | 28 / 349 | ![]() | Coalition |
2010 | 420,524 | 7.1 (#4) | 24 / 349 | ![]() | Coalition |
2014 | 336,977 | 5.4 (#7) | 19 / 349 | ![]() | Opposition |
2018 | 355,546 | 5.5 (#7) | 20 / 349 | ![]() | External support (2018–2021) |
Opposition (2021–2022) | |||||
2022 | 297,566 | 4.61 (#8) | 16 / 349 | ![]() | Coalition |
Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | 129,376 | 4.8 (#6) | 1 / 22 | |
1999 | 350,339 | 13.8 (#4) | 3 / 22 | ![]() |
2004 | 247,750 | 9.9 (#5) | 2 / 19 | ![]() |
2009 | 430,385 | 13.6 (#3) | 3 / 18 3 / 20 | ![]() ![]() |
2014 | 368,514 | 9.9 (#4) | 2 / 20 | ![]() |
2019 | 171,419 | 4.13 (#8) | 1 / 20 | ![]() |
2024 | 183,675 | 4.38 (#8) | 1 / 20 | ![]() |
Leader | Took office | Left office |
---|---|---|
Gustaf Andersson | 1935 | 28 September 1944 |
Bertil Ohlin | 28 September 1944 | 1967 |
Sven Wedén | 1967 | 26 September 1969 |
Gunnar Helén | 1969 | 7 November 1975 |
Per Ahlmark | 7 November 1975 | 4 March 1978 |
Ola Ullsten | 4 March 1978 | 1 October 1983 |
Bengt Westerberg | 1 October 1983 | 4 February 1995 |
Maria Leissner | 4 February 1995 | 15 March 1997 |
Lars Leijonborg | 15 March 1997 | 7 September 2007 |
Jan Björklund | 7 September 2007 | 28 June 2019 |
Nyamko Sabuni | 28 June 2019 | 8 April 2022 |
Johan Pehrson | 8 April 2022 | Incumbent |
Herrljunga Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Herrljunga.
The Moderate Party, commonly referred to as the Moderates, is a liberal-conservative political party in Sweden. The party generally supports tax cuts, the free market, civil liberties and economic liberalism. Globally, it is a full member of the International Democracy Union and the European People's Party.
This article gives an overview of liberalism and centrism in Sweden. It is limited to liberal and centrist parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this article it is not necessary for parties to have labelled themselves as a liberal party.
Lars Erik Ansgar Leijonborg is a Swedish politician, Minister for Higher Education and Research 2006-2009 and Head of the Ministry of Education and Research 2006–2007. During a ten-year period from 1997 to 2007, he served as chairman of the Liberal People's Party.
Linköping Municipality is a municipality in Östergötland County in southern Sweden. With more than 165,000 inhabitants, it is the fifth largest municipality in Sweden.
Jan Arne Björklund is a Swedish Liberal politician. He was member of the Riksdag from 2006 to 2019, representing Stockholm County, and served as leader of the Liberals from 2007 to 2019. Björklund served as Minister for Education from 2007 to 2014, and as Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden from 2010 to 2014.
Carl Johan Georg Pehrson is a Swedish politician who has been leader of the Liberal Party since 8 April 2022. He has been a Member of Parliament since 2018, representing Örebro County, and previously represented the same constituency from 1998 to 2015. He is Minister for Employment and Minister for Integration since October 2022.
Nyamko Ana Sabuni is a Swedish politician who was Leader of the Liberals between June 2019 and April 2022. She previously served as Minister for Integration from 2006 to 2010 and as Minister for Gender Equality from 2006 to 2013 in the Swedish government. A member of the Liberal Party, Sabuni was elected a Member of Parliament in 2002. Sabuni made history in June 2019, by becoming the first party leader in the Swedish parliament coming from an ethnic minority and the first party leader of a refugee background. In April 2022, Sabuni resigned as party leader.
The Red-Greens is an umbrella term which refers to the three centre-left to left-wing political parties of Sweden; the Social Democrats, the Left Party and the Green Party.
General elections were held in Sweden on 9 September 2018 to elect the 349 members of the Riksdag. Regional and municipal elections were also held on the same day. The incumbent minority government, consisting of the Social Democrats and the Greens and supported by the Left Party, won 144 seats, one seat more than the four-party Alliance coalition, with the Sweden Democrats winning the remaining 62 seats. The Social Democrats' vote share fell to 28.3 percent, its lowest level of support since 1911.
General elections were held in Sweden on 14 September 2014 to elect all 349 seats in the Riksdag, alongside elections for the 21 county councils, and 290 municipal assemblies.
Jasenko Selimović is a Bosnian-born Swedish director, artistic director, writer and politician representing the Liberal People's Party. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 2015 until 2019.
Citizens' Coalition, officially known as Bourgeois Future until 2017, is a right-wing political party in Sweden that was founded in 2014. The party considers itself liberal-conservative and green conservative, while observers described it as a right-wing party critical of immigration and conservative.
General elections were held in Sweden on 11 September 2022 to elect the 349 members of the Riksdag who in turn elected the Prime Minister of Sweden. Under the constitution, regional and municipal elections were also held on the same day. The preliminary results presented on 15 September showed the government parties lost their majority, which were confirmed by the final results published on 17 September. After a month of negotiations following the elections that led to the Tidö Agreement among the right-wing bloc, Moderate Party (M) leader Ulf Kristersson was elected prime minister on 17 October. The Kristersson cabinet is a minority government that relies on confidence and supply from the Sweden Democrats (SD).
In the 2018 Swedish general election, no political group or party won an outright majority, resulting in a hung parliament. On 9 September, the Red-Greens, led by Stefan Löfven's Social Democrats (S), emerged as the main political force in the Riksdag, while the centre-right Alliance led by Ulf Kristersson's Moderate Party only got one seat less. The right-wing populist party Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, came third. As a result, protracted negotiations were required before a new government formation. On 18 January 2019, Löfven was re-elected as prime minister.
Events of 2019 in Sweden
The second cabinet of Stefan Löfven was the government of Sweden from 21 January 2019 to 9 July 2021. It was a coalition, consisting of two parties: the Social Democrats and the Green Party. The cabinet was installed on 21 January 2019, following the 2018 general election.
Vård för Pengarna is a Swedish regional political party in Södermanland County which is the fourth-largest party in the Regional Council, holding 10 out of 79 seats. Since 2018, the party has been a part of the incumbent regional government coalition together with the Social Democrats and the Centre Party. Following the 2022 election, in which the party lost five seats, it is in talks with the right-wing Moderate, Centre and Christian Democratic parties regarding plans to form a minority coalition in the region.
Prime Minister Stefan Löfven tendered his resignation on 10 November 2021, leaving his government in place as a caretaker cabinet until a new Prime Minister is elected by the Riksdag. Government formation talks commenced the following day with Magdalena Andersson, the newly-elected head of the Social Democratic party offering to lead a government. She was formally nominated to form a government by the Speaker of the Riksdag, Andreas Norlén later the same day. It was the third government formation process since the 2018 general election, the first taking a record 144 days before the formation of Löfven's second cabinet. The process took place just ten months ahead of the 2022 general election.
Romina Pourmokhtari is a Swedish politician for the Liberals. She has served as the Minister for the Environment since 2022 in the Kristersson Cabinet. She has also been a member of the Riksdag for Stockholm Municipality since 2022. She is the youngest-ever minister of a cabinet in Sweden, having ascended to her position at the age of 26.