Cabinet of Fredrik Reinfeldt
Encyclopedia
The cabinet of Fredrik Reinfeldt is the current cabinet
of Sweden
. It is a coalition cabinet
consisting of the four parties in the centre-right
Alliance for Sweden
: the Moderate Party
, Centre Party
, Liberal People's Party
and the Christian Democrats
. The cabinet was installed on 6 October 2006, following the 2006 general election
which ousted the Social Democrats
after twelve years in power. It retained power after the 2010 general election
but now as a minority government
. It is led by Prime Minister
Fredrik Reinfeldt
of the Moderate Party.
|}
and the Minister for Culture Cecilia Stegö Chilò
, admitted that they had previously employed persons to take care of their children without paying the appropriate taxes. On October 11, 2006 it came to light that Cecilia Stegö Chilò and her husband had not paid their TV license
for the last 16 years. On October 12, 2006, it emerged that two other ministers in the cabinet had neglected to pay the television license; Maria Borelius and the Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy, Tobias Billström
. Radiotjänst i Kiruna AB
, the private agency tasked with collecting the license fee, filed criminal charges against Cecilia Stegö Chilò, Maria Borelius and Tobias Billström.
On October 14, 2006, Maria Borelius resigned as Minister for Foreign Trade. On October 16, 2006, just two days after Maria Borelius resignation, Minister for Culture Cecilia Stegö Chilò resigned as well.
The Minister for Defence, Mikael Odenberg
, resigned on September 5, 2007 as he thought the budget cuts his department would face were to high.
/Sifo
in late 2006, the Swedish public was asked to rate each of the new ministers on a 5-graded scale. The average result for the 22 ministers was 2.93. This is higher than any of the rates that the Social Democratic Persson cabinet
ever received during its years in power, and the highest ratings ever since the surveys started in 1996.
From the Swedish general election, 2006
the opinions for the Reinfeldt cabinet have declined steadily from a level of about 51% down to a level about 40%, which election researchers generally explain as more than what could be expected due to normal inter-election popularity fall. Center-right newspapers in Sweden criticize the cabinet for not being pedagogically proficient, while the opposition newspapers just connects the impopularity of the cabinet with the scandals and the performed practical politics.
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of Sweden
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....
. It is a coalition cabinet
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
consisting of the four parties in the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
Alliance for Sweden
Alliance for Sweden
The Alliance , formerly Alliance for Sweden , is a political alliance in Sweden. It consists of the four centre-right parties in the Riksdag...
: the 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...
, Centre Party
Centre Party (Sweden)
The Centre Party is a centrist political party in Sweden. The party maintains close ties to rural Sweden and describes itself as "a green social liberal party". The ideology is sometimes called agrarian, but in a European context, the Centre Party can perhaps best be characterized as social...
, Liberal People's Party
Liberal People's Party (Sweden)
The Liberal People's Party is a political party in Sweden. The party advocates social liberalism and is part of the governing centre-right coalition The Alliance, which achieved a majority in the general election of 17 September 2006...
and the Christian Democrats
Christian Democrats (Sweden)
The Christian Democrats ) is a political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1964 but did not enter parliament until 1985 in an electoral cooperation with the Centre Party and on the Christian Democrats' own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004 is Göran Hägglund. He succeeded Alf...
. The cabinet was installed on 6 October 2006, following the 2006 general election
Swedish general election, 2006
A general election was held in Sweden on 17 September 2006, to elect members to the Swedish parliament. All 349 seats were up for election: 310 "fixed seats" in 29 constituencies and 39 members at a national level for what are called "adjustment seats", used to ensure that parties have...
which ousted the Social Democrats
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
after twelve years in power. It retained power after the 2010 general election
Swedish general election, 2010
A general election to the Riksdag, parliament of Sweden, was held on . The main contenders of the election were the governing centre-right coalition the Alliance and the oppositional centre-left Red-Greens coalition A general election to the Riksdag, parliament of Sweden, was held on . The main...
but now as a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
. It is led by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
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...
of the Moderate Party.
Ministers
|}
Party breakdown
Party breakdown of cabinet ministers:
|
|
|
Centre Party (Sweden) The Centre Party is a centrist political party in Sweden. The party maintains close ties to rural Sweden and describes itself as "a green social liberal party". The ideology is sometimes called agrarian, but in a European context, the Centre Party can perhaps best be characterized as social... |
|
|
Liberal People's Party (Sweden) The Liberal People's Party is a political party in Sweden. The party advocates social liberalism and is part of the governing centre-right coalition The Alliance, which achieved a majority in the general election of 17 September 2006... |
|
|
Christian Democrats (Sweden) The Christian Democrats ) is a political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1964 but did not enter parliament until 1985 in an electoral cooperation with the Centre Party and on the Christian Democrats' own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004 is Göran Hägglund. He succeeded Alf... |
New ministries
- Ministry of EmploymentMinistry of Employment (Sweden)The Ministry of Employment is a ministry in the Swedish government responsible for labour market and working life policy.The ministry offices are located at Jakobsgatan 26 in central Stockholm.- History :...
, belonged to the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications in the cabinet of Göran PerssonCabinet of Göran PerssonGöran Persson served as Prime Minister of Sweden between March 22, 1996 and October 6, 2006. Persson took over after Ingvar Carlsson, who retired as party leader and Prime Minister...
. - Ministry of CultureMinistry of Culture (Sweden)The Ministry of Culture is a ministry within the government of Sweden responsible for culture policy. The ministry is headed by the Minister for Culture, currently Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth ....
, belonged to the Ministry of Education and Culture in the cabinet of Göran PerssonCabinet of Göran PerssonGöran Persson served as Prime Minister of Sweden between March 22, 1996 and October 6, 2006. Persson took over after Ingvar Carlsson, who retired as party leader and Prime Minister...
. - Ministry of Environment was before called the Ministry of Sustainable Development.
- Ministry of Integration and Gender EqualityMinistry of Integration and Gender Equality (Sweden)The Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality is a ministry of the Government Offices of Sweden. Its areas of responsibility include consumer affairs, democracy issues, gender equality, human rights, integration issues, metropolitan affairs, minority issues, non-governmental organizations and...
, belonged to the Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Justice (Sweden)The Ministry of Justice is a Cabinet level ministry in the Government of Sweden with responsibility for legislation. The ministry is responsible for the Swedish legal system in Constitution and general administrative law, civil law, procedural law and criminal law...
and the Ministry for Foreign AffairsMinistry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for Swedish foreign policy.Current ministers:*Carl Bildt Head of Office and Minister for Foreign Affairs.*Ewa Björling as Minister for Foreign Trade...
in the cabinet of Göran PerssonCabinet of Göran PerssonGöran Persson served as Prime Minister of Sweden between March 22, 1996 and October 6, 2006. Persson took over after Ingvar Carlsson, who retired as party leader and Prime Minister...
.
Policy of the cabinet
The new government was presented on October 6, 2006. The following reforms have been proposed:- Communication and transportation:
- The tax on automotive fuels will be raised because of inflation adjustment, by 9 öreÖreÖre is the discontinued centesimal subdivision of the Swedish krona. The plural and singular are the same in the indefinite forms, whereas the singular definite form is öret and the plural definite is örena. The name derives from the Latin aureus , the name of a coin worth 25 denarii...
per litre for gasoline and 6 öre per litre for diesel (excluding VATValue added taxA value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
).
- The tax on automotive fuels will be raised because of inflation adjustment, by 9 öre
- Culture:
- The new government plans to reintroduce entrance fees to the country's 21 state-operated museums.
- Third-party liability premiums for vehicle insuranceVehicle insuranceVehicle insurance is insurance purchased for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other road vehicles. Its primary use is to provide financial protection against physical damage and/or bodily injury resulting from traffic collisions and against liability that could also arise therefrom...
will be raised. - The current operator's license for the public service broadcasters Sveriges TelevisionSveriges TelevisionSveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
, Sveriges RadioSveriges RadioSveriges Radio AB – Swedish Radio Ltd – is Sweden's national publicly funded radio broadcaster. The Swedish public-broadcasting system is in many respects modelled after the one used in the United Kingdom, and Sveriges Radio - like Sveriges Television - shares many characteristics with...
and Sveriges UtbildningsradioSveriges UtbildningsradioSveriges Utbildningsradio — the Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company — is a public-service corporation dedicated to serving the needs of the Swedish general public by providing educational programming on radio and television.-External links:**...
will come up for renegotiation in three years, instead of six as negotiated with the outgoing government.
- Education:
- The reform of the secondary education (gymnasiumGymnasium (school)A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
) which was to take effect from January 1, 2007 will be scrapped and instead the new government will start planning for a deeper reform to take place some time before 2010.
- The reform of the secondary education (gymnasium
- Government agencies:
- The following government agenciesGovernment agencies in SwedenThe Government agencies in Sweden are state controlled organizations who act independently to carry out the policies of the Swedish Government. The Government Ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions but not by direct...
will be closed down: Swedish Integration Board , National Institute for Working Life , Swedish Animal Welfare Agency and the County Labour Boards . - All agencies are being scrutinized for reformation.
- Heads of agencies to be made into merit basedMerit systemThe merit system is the process of promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political connections. It is the opposite of the spoils system.- History :...
appointments.
- The following government agencies
- Foreign aid:
- The monetary foreign aid's goal and what countries receiving aid is being reconsidered.
Controversies and resignations
On October 7, 2006, the day after the new cabinet was announced two of the ministers, the Minister for Foreign Trade Maria BoreliusMaria Borelius
Maria Sigrid Astrid Borelius is a Swedish journalist, entrepreneur and former politician. Following the 2006 Swedish general election she was elected a Member of Parliament for the Moderate Party, and on 6 October 2006 she was presented as Minister for Foreign Trade in Fredrik Reinfeldt's new...
and the Minister for Culture Cecilia Stegö Chilò
Cecilia Stegö Chilò
Marie Cecilia Stegö Chilò was the Swedish Minister for Culture for ten days, from October 6, 2006 to October 16, 2006. Prior to her appointment as a cabinet member she was Chief executive officer of the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation , and Director of Timbro, a neoliberal, free-market...
, admitted that they had previously employed persons to take care of their children without paying the appropriate taxes. On October 11, 2006 it came to light that Cecilia Stegö Chilò and her husband had not paid their TV license
Television licence
A television licence is an official licence required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts...
for the last 16 years. On October 12, 2006, it emerged that two other ministers in the cabinet had neglected to pay the television license; Maria Borelius and the Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy, Tobias Billström
Tobias Billström
Tobias Lennart Billström is a Swedish politician currently serving as Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy in the Swedish government. Billström, a member of the Moderate Party, has been a Member of Parliament since 2002 representing Malmö Municipality...
. Radiotjänst i Kiruna AB
Radiotjänst i Kiruna
Radiotjänst i Kiruna AB is Sweden's TV licensing body. It is a private corporation, formed in 1988 and based in Kiruna. The company is a subsidiary of the three Swedish public service broadcasters Sveriges Television, Sveriges Radio and Sveriges Utbildningsradio...
, the private agency tasked with collecting the license fee, filed criminal charges against Cecilia Stegö Chilò, Maria Borelius and Tobias Billström.
On October 14, 2006, Maria Borelius resigned as Minister for Foreign Trade. On October 16, 2006, just two days after Maria Borelius resignation, Minister for Culture Cecilia Stegö Chilò resigned as well.
The Minister for Defence, Mikael Odenberg
Mikael Odenberg
Mikael Ingemarsson Odenberg is a Swedish politician of the Moderate Party. He was a Member of Parliament from 1991 to 2006 and Minister for Defence in the Swedish government from 2006 to 2007...
, resigned on September 5, 2007 as he thought the budget cuts his department would face were to high.
Public perception
In public opinion survey conducted by AftonbladetAftonbladet
Aftonbladet is a Swedish tabloid founded by Lars Johan Hierta in 1830 during the modernization of Sweden. It is one of the larger daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. Aftonbladet is owned by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and Norwegian media group Schibsted, and its editorial page...
/Sifo
Sifo
SIFO is a Swedish company earlier known as Sifo Research International in the area of opinion and social research. The company was founded in 1954 as Svenska institutet för opinionsundersökningar and known by the public under the abbreviation SIFO which is one of the strongest brands in Sweden...
in late 2006, the Swedish public was asked to rate each of the new ministers on a 5-graded scale. The average result for the 22 ministers was 2.93. This is higher than any of the rates that the Social Democratic Persson cabinet
Cabinet of Göran Persson
Göran Persson served as Prime Minister of Sweden between March 22, 1996 and October 6, 2006. Persson took over after Ingvar Carlsson, who retired as party leader and Prime Minister...
ever received during its years in power, and the highest ratings ever since the surveys started in 1996.
From the Swedish general election, 2006
Swedish general election, 2006
A general election was held in Sweden on 17 September 2006, to elect members to the Swedish parliament. All 349 seats were up for election: 310 "fixed seats" in 29 constituencies and 39 members at a national level for what are called "adjustment seats", used to ensure that parties have...
the opinions for the Reinfeldt cabinet have declined steadily from a level of about 51% down to a level about 40%, which election researchers generally explain as more than what could be expected due to normal inter-election popularity fall. Center-right newspapers in Sweden criticize the cabinet for not being pedagogically proficient, while the opposition newspapers just connects the impopularity of the cabinet with the scandals and the performed practical politics.