Göran Hägglund | |
|---|---|
 Hägglund in 2014 | |
| Leader of the Christian Democrats | |
| In office 3 April 2004 – 25 April 2015 | |
| Deputy | Maria Larsson |
| Preceded by | Alf Svensson |
| Succeeded by | Ebba Busch |
| 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 | (1959-01-27)27 January 1959 (age 66) Degerfors, Sweden |
| Political party | Christian Democrats |
| Spouse | Married |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Part ofa series on |
| Conservatism in Sweden |
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Commentators |
Bo Göran Hägglund (born 27 January 1959) is aSwedishpolitician of theChristian Democrats. He was the leader of theChristian Democrats from 2004 to 2015,Member of the Riksdag from 1991 to 2015, and served asMinister for Social Affairs from 2006 to 2014.
Hägglund's parents are originally fromFinland: they moved to Sweden in the 1950s.[1] He was born inDegerfors in central Sweden, but moved toJönköping, 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 began work as parliamentary secretary for the Christian Democrats. He temporarily left politics in 1988, to start working for an insurance company. In the parliamentary elections of 1991 he was elected a Member of Parliament.
Hägglund became theRiksdag'sFather of the House on 1 January 2015, being the eldest among those first elected in 1991.
Hägglund was generally considered to be long-timeparty leaderAlf Svensson's personal favourite as a successor. However, when Svensson announced his plans to step down, two other candidates,Maria Larsson andMats Odell, had the support of a greater 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.[2]
Prior to theSwedish general election in 2006 Hägglund's Christian Democrats formed a closer alliance with the three othercentre-right parties in Sweden, under the nameAlliance for Sweden. After their victory in the elections,Fredrik Reinfeldt of theModerate Party was asked by theSpeaker of the Riksdag to form a new government. Following negotiations between the leaders of the parties in the Alliance for Sweden, Göran Hägglund was namedMinister for Social Affairs on 6 October 2006.
In the autumn of 2011 he was challenged for the post of party leader by colleague Mats Odell. In an extra congress held on 28 January 2012, Odell's challenge failed and Hägglund retained the party leadership.
During a party rally inGothenburg in 2014, Hägglund washit with a pie by anLGBT rights activist.[3][4]
On 29 January 2015, Hägglund announced that he would step down asparty leader at an extra party congress on 25 April.Ebba Busch Thor was elected the new party leader at that congress.[5]
Hägglund was appointed Minister for Social Affairs on 6 October 2006 byPrime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.
As minister, Hägglund enforced several reforms including thereform of the health insurance system which became a highly controversial reform. Hägglund also implementedmunicipalallowance which replaced the former state allowance. Thepharmacymonopoly was abolished on 1 July 2009, and thealcohol law was liberalized in 2010. Deduction forhousehold services, so-calledRUT deduction was introduced in 2007 as well as thelegislation of same-sex marriages in 2009. The bill was supported by all parties except the Christian Democrats and one member of the Center Party.[6][7]
Hägglund grew up in thePentecostal movement, but is now a member of theChurch of Sweden. He is married and has two children.[8]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New office | Group Leader of the Christian Democrats in theSwedish Riksdag 1991–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Anders Andersson | Second Deputy Party Leader of the Christian Democrats 2003–2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Christian Democrats 2004 – 2015 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Head of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs 2006–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Social Affairs 2006–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | President by age 2014–2015 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
