Mikael Odenberg
Encyclopedia
Mikael Ingemarsson Odenberg (born 14 December 1953 in Stockholm
) 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. Since 1 March 2008 he is chairman of Svenska Kraftnät
.
from 1973 to 1974. He finished with good grades and went through Reserve Officer Training in 1976. He also finished a management course at the Swedish National Defence College in 1994. As a Second Lieutenant he was trained at the Söderarm battery in the Roslagen archipelago, outside Stockholm. Odenberg today formally holds the rank of Major
.
From 1975 to 1976 Odenburg studied economics
at Stockholm University
and from 1976 to 1978 he studied at the Stockholm School of Economics
.
and the Moderate Party
in Nacka Municipality
outside Stockholm
. In 1978 he was elected secretary-general of the Moderate Youth League; and from 1979 to 1985 he was deputy secretary to the Stockholm City Commissioner
(real estate, town planning and highway departments) and secretary to the Moderate City Council Group. From 1988 to 1991 he was leader of the Moderate Party's group on healthcare matters in Stockholm County Council. In 1987 and 1991 Odenberg also served as a substitute Member of Parliament
. Odenberg was elected as a Member of Parliament in 1991. He served as a member of the parliament's Committee on Housing from 1991 to 1994; as a member of the Committee on Industry and Trade from 1994 to 1998; as a member of the Committee on Labour Market and Committee on EU Affairs from 1998 to 2002; as deputy chairman of the Committee on Industry and Trade from 2002 to 2003; as a member of the War Delegation
in 2003; and as leader of the Moderate Party parliamentary group, deputy chairman of the Committee on Finance
, and member of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2006.
On 6 October 2006 Odenberg was appointed as Minister for Defence. He resigned from this post on 5 September 2007 in protest against planned government defence cuts. At a press conference Odenberg said "I want to be able to face myself in the mirror and look our military in the eye".
His sister is Christina Odenberg
, a former Bishop of Lund.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
) is a Swedish
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....
politician of 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...
. He was a Member of Parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
from 1991 to 2006 and Minister for Defence in the Swedish government
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
from 2006 to 2007. Since 1 March 2008 he is chairman of Svenska Kraftnät
Svenska Kraftnät
Svenska Kraftnät is an electricity and natural gas transmission system operator in Sweden. It is a state-owned public utility, which was created in 1992 by splitting the former government agency Vattenfall into a power generation company and a transmission company...
.
Education and military service
Mikael Odenberg made his military service in the Coastal Artillery at the KA 4 training regiment in GothenburgGothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
from 1973 to 1974. He finished with good grades and went through Reserve Officer Training in 1976. He also finished a management course at the Swedish National Defence College in 1994. As a Second Lieutenant he was trained at the Söderarm battery in the Roslagen archipelago, outside Stockholm. Odenberg today formally holds the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
From 1975 to 1976 Odenburg studied economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Stockholm University
Stockholm University
Stockholm University is a state university in Stockholm, Sweden. It has over 28,000 students at four faculties, making it one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is also frequently regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world...
and from 1976 to 1978 he studied at the Stockholm School of Economics
Stockholm School of Economics
The Stockholm School of Economics or Handelshögskolan i Stockholm is one of Northern Europe's leading business schools. Its Masters in Management program is ranked no. 2 in Northern Europe and no. 13 in Europe by the Financial Times...
.
Political career
From 1972 to 1973, Odenberg was a local government ombudsman for the Moderate Youth LeagueModerate Youth League
The Moderate Youth League , officially known in English as the Swedish Young Conservatives, is the youth wing of the Swedish Moderate Party. It had 12 051 members in 2010...
and 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...
in Nacka Municipality
Nacka Municipality
Nacka Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located at Nacka. The municipality is situated just east of the capital Stockholm and the western parts are considered a suburban part of the Stockholm urban area.The present municipality was created in...
outside Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. In 1978 he was elected secretary-general of the Moderate Youth League; and from 1979 to 1985 he was deputy secretary to the Stockholm City Commissioner
Municipal Commissioner
Municipal Commissioner is an office and political title in the municipalities of Sweden for councillors with executive responsibilities. The Commissioners are the only full-time employed office-holders outside the municipal civil service...
(real estate, town planning and highway departments) and secretary to the Moderate City Council Group. From 1988 to 1991 he was leader of the Moderate Party's group on healthcare matters in Stockholm County Council. In 1987 and 1991 Odenberg also served as a substitute Member of Parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
. Odenberg was elected as a Member of Parliament in 1991. He served as a member of the parliament's Committee on Housing from 1991 to 1994; as a member of the Committee on Industry and Trade from 1994 to 1998; as a member of the Committee on Labour Market and Committee on EU Affairs from 1998 to 2002; as deputy chairman of the Committee on Industry and Trade from 2002 to 2003; as a member of the War Delegation
War Delegation
The War Delegation or KD is a political body with the purpose to replace the Riksdag when Sweden is at war or exposed to serious threats. KD consists of the Speaker of the Riksdag and fifty priorly elected members of parliament....
in 2003; and as leader of the Moderate Party parliamentary group, deputy chairman of the Committee on Finance
Committee on Finance (Parliament of Sweden)
The Committee on Finance is a committee in the Parliament of Sweden. The committee prepares matters concerning general guidelines for financial policy, adoption of the central government budget and matters concerning the activities of the Riksbank...
, and member of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2006.
On 6 October 2006 Odenberg was appointed as Minister for Defence. He resigned from this post on 5 September 2007 in protest against planned government defence cuts. At a press conference Odenberg said "I want to be able to face myself in the mirror and look our military in the eye".
Personal life
Mikael Odenberg is married to Catherine, and has four children. He lives with his family in Stockholm.His sister is Christina Odenberg
Christina Odenberg
Christina Odenberg is the retired bishop of the Diocese of Lund in Sweden between 1997 and 2007. Appointed by the Government of Sweden on June 5, 1997, she became the first woman bishop in the history of the Church of Sweden...
, a former Bishop of Lund.