Per Unckel
Encyclopedia
Per Carl Gustav Unckel was a Swedish
former Moderate Party
politician and at the time of his death the Governor of Stockholm County
.
He was born in Östergötland
and was at one time chairman of the Moderate Youth League
district there. He studied law in Uppsala
1968-71. In 1971, he was elected national chairman of the Moderate Youth League
and served until 1976, when he was elected to the Riksdag
for Östergötland
.
In 1986, he became secretary general of the Moderate Party. He stayed in the post until 1991, when the Moderate Party won the election and Carl Bildt
became Prime Minister of Sweden
. Unckel was then appointed Minister of Education. In that position, he spearheaded the educational reforms that revolutionised the Swedish education system. Among other things, students were allowed to choose among the local schools.
After the loss in the election in 1994, Unckel became the party spokesman on labour policy. In 1998 he became chairman of the Committee on the Constitution and one year later he was appointed leader of the Moderate Party parliamentary group.
The election in 2002 was disastrous for the Moderate Party and several senior figures had to resign from the board of the party. Per Unckel was one of them. He was seen as a part of the old regime - the so-called "Bunker" around Carl Bildt, together with the likes of Anders Björk and Gunnar Hökmark
. His old Moderate Youth League district, however, paid their respects by electing him honorary chairman. In 2003, he was appointed secretary-general of the Nordic Council of Ministers and retired from Swedish politics. He served until December 2006. He later served as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the European Humanities University
.
Unckel died on 20 September 2011 from cancer, aged 63.
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....
former 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...
politician and at the time of his death the Governor of Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
.
He was born in Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
and was at one time chairman of the Moderate Youth League
Moderate 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...
district there. He studied law in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
1968-71. In 1971, he was elected national chairman of the Moderate Youth League
Moderate 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 served until 1976, when he was elected to the Riksdag
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...
for Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
.
In 1986, he became secretary general of the Moderate Party. He stayed in the post until 1991, when the Moderate Party won the election and Carl Bildt
Carl Bildt
, Honorary KCMG is a Swedish politician, diplomat and nobleman. Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, Bildt has served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs since 6 October 2006...
became Prime Minister of Sweden
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...
. Unckel was then appointed Minister of Education. In that position, he spearheaded the educational reforms that revolutionised the Swedish education system. Among other things, students were allowed to choose among the local schools.
After the loss in the election in 1994, Unckel became the party spokesman on labour policy. In 1998 he became chairman of the Committee on the Constitution and one year later he was appointed leader of the Moderate Party parliamentary group.
The election in 2002 was disastrous for the Moderate Party and several senior figures had to resign from the board of the party. Per Unckel was one of them. He was seen as a part of the old regime - the so-called "Bunker" around Carl Bildt, together with the likes of Anders Björk and Gunnar Hökmark
Gunnar Hökmark
Anders Gunnar Hökmark is a Swedish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Moderate Party; part of the European People's Party....
. His old Moderate Youth League district, however, paid their respects by electing him honorary chairman. In 2003, he was appointed secretary-general of the Nordic Council of Ministers and retired from Swedish politics. He served until December 2006. He later served as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the European Humanities University
European Humanities University
EHU, the European Humanities University ) is a Belarusian university in Lithuania.From 1992 to 2004 EHU was a non-state establishment of undergraduate and post-graduate education in Belarus. In 2004, due to government opposition, EHU was forced to terminate its activities in Belarus...
.
Unckel died on 20 September 2011 from cancer, aged 63.
External links
- Pictures of Per Unckel Nordic Council of Ministers