Progress Party (Sweden)
Encyclopedia
The Progress Party was a minor Swedish populist
political party that existed in various forms from 1968 to the 2000s, when local parties merged with the Sweden Democrats
, or developed into distinct local parties. It was based mostly in Scania
, although it at times had active local chapters other places. For a time, it saw itself as a Swedish equivalent of the Progress Party
in Denmark and Progress Party
in Norway.
, and the remains of the minor parties Medborgerlig samling and Samling för Framsteg. The party soon had 10,000 members, and planned to run for the 1970 elections
, but failed due to economic problems. The party won only three mandates in Klippan
, and was practically dissolved as a national party following the defeat. The party lost all its mandates in Klippan after the 1973 local elections, and through the 1970s was largely just active in the municipality of Motala
.
The party was refounded at a party congress in Norrköping
in 1979, with Nils Lindgren of Motala as party chairman, and the party for the first time ran in an election with a national list. In 1979 and 1980, the party was visited by Mogens Glistrup
of the Danish Progress Party
, and the party developed to an outspokenly right-wing populist
party through the 1980s, inspired by him. For the 1982 elections
, the party changed its name to the Swedish Progress Party (Svenska Framstegspartiet) under the new chairman Stefan Herrmann, with chapters in Motala and Stockholm
. Stickers then included messages such as "AIDS comes from abroad," "the woman back to the stove" and "let the booze free." In the 1988 elections
, the party had its trongest base in Östergötland
.
on March 11, 1989. The party then added to its base defectors from the Centre Democrats
in Scania
, Mittpartiet in Ånge
, Löntagarepartiet in Åstorp
and Kommunens Väl in Skurup
. Tony Wiklander of Löntagarepartiet was elected as new party chairman, an established local politician in Åstorp with a history in the Left Party
and Social Democrats
.
By 1990, the party claimed 2,000 members in 20 chapters around the country. Wiklander was however expelled as chairman in June due to comments in the media that were seen as too extreme, and his connections with the early Sweden Democrats
and the New Swedish Movement. Wiklander then chose to establish a new party with the old name Progress Party in October the same year, with economic support from millionaire Carl Lundström
. In the electoral campaign for the 1991 elections
, Wiklander's party among other things claimed that Swedes would become "a minority in their own country around the year 2055." In the election, both parties won six mandates in municipalities in Southern Sweden, and Wiklander's party had become the most important local party in Southern Sweden. In Åstorp, Wiklander's party started a cooperation with New Democracy
and an immigration skeptical faction of the Social Democrats.
As New Democracy emerged with similar policies, this led the primary financier of the Progress Party, Carl Lundström, to change his support to New Democracy. The Helsingborg chapter of the party then reshaped itself into Svensk Samling which merged into the Sweden Democrats
in 1998. Later, most of the leaders joined the National Democrats
when that party was formed from the split of the Sweden Democrats in 2001.
Most municipal chapters, including that of party leader Tony Wiklander's in Åstorp, however waited until after the split of the Sweden Democrats in 2001 and thereafter merged with the Sweden Democrats, the more moderate faction. In Åstorp, Kommunens framtid was formed in January 2002 as a replacement for the Progress Party for the 2002 elections
. By 1997, the Progress Party had likely no more than 300 members.
A local Progress Party was founded in Bjuv in March 2000, gaining 2 seats in the municipality in the 2002 election
. Allan Jönsson was the party chairman from the start, until the party was turned into a local Sweden Democrats chapter before the 2006 election
.
; 3 mandates in Klippan
.
1985 election
; 1 mandate in Motala
.
1991 election
; 3 mandates in Landskrona
, 2 in Helsingborg
.
1994 election
; 1 mandate in Bjuv
, 2 in Landskrona, 2 in Markaryd
and 2 in Åstorp
.
1998 election
; 2 mandates in Bjuv, 4 in Landskrona and 1 in Åstorp.
2002 election
; 2 mandates in Bjuv.
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
political party that existed in various forms from 1968 to the 2000s, when local parties merged with the Sweden Democrats
Sweden Democrats
The Sweden Democrats is a political party in Sweden, founded in 1988. SD describes itself as a nationalist movement although others use the term far-right. Since 2005, its party chairman is Jimmie Åkesson, while Björn Söder is the party secretary and parliamentary group leader. An Anemone...
, or developed into distinct local parties. It was based mostly in Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, although it at times had active local chapters other places. For a time, it saw itself as a Swedish equivalent of the Progress Party
Progress Party (Denmark)
The Progress Party is a political party in Denmark, which was founded in 1972. Its founder, the former lawyer Mogens Glistrup, gained huge popularity in Denmark after he appeared on Danish television, showing that he paid 0 % in income tax...
in Denmark and Progress Party
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
in Norway.
Early years
The party was founded on November 6, 1968 by Bertil Rubin, a former Member of Parliament for the Centre PartyCentre 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...
, and the remains of the minor parties Medborgerlig samling and Samling för Framsteg. The party soon had 10,000 members, and planned to run for the 1970 elections
Swedish general election, 1970
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag was held 20 September 1970, two years ahead of schedule because of the opening of the new parliament the same year. It was the first election under the new unicameral system. The Social Democratic government gathered enough support to remain in power under its...
, but failed due to economic problems. The party won only three mandates in Klippan
Klippan Municipality
Klippan Municipality is a municipality in Skåne County in southern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Klippan.The municipality was created in 1974 through the amalgamation of the market town Klippan with the rural municipality of Riseberga and part of Östra Ljungby.Söderåsen National Park...
, and was practically dissolved as a national party following the defeat. The party lost all its mandates in Klippan after the 1973 local elections, and through the 1970s was largely just active in the municipality of Motala
Motala
Motala is a locality and the seat of Motala Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 29,798 inhabitants in 2005. It is the third largest city of Östergötland, following Linköping and Norrköping...
.
The party was refounded at a party congress in Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
in 1979, with Nils Lindgren of Motala as party chairman, and the party for the first time ran in an election with a national list. In 1979 and 1980, the party was visited by Mogens Glistrup
Mogens Glistrup
Mogens Glistrup was a controversial Danish politician, lawyer, and member of the Danish parliament and founder of the Progress Party....
of the Danish Progress Party
Progress Party (Denmark)
The Progress Party is a political party in Denmark, which was founded in 1972. Its founder, the former lawyer Mogens Glistrup, gained huge popularity in Denmark after he appeared on Danish television, showing that he paid 0 % in income tax...
, and the party developed to an outspokenly right-wing populist
Right-wing populism
Right-wing populism is a political ideology that rejects existing political consensus and combines laissez-faire liberalism and anti-elitism. It is considered "right-wing" because of its rejection of social equality and government programs to achieve it, its opposition to social integration, and...
party through the 1980s, inspired by him. For the 1982 elections
Swedish general election, 1982
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 19 September 1982 and saw the return of the Swedish Social Democratic Party to power after six years in opposition, the longest period in opposition by the Social Democrats since the 1910s...
, the party changed its name to the Swedish Progress Party (Svenska Framstegspartiet) under the new chairman Stefan Herrmann, with chapters in Motala and 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...
. Stickers then included messages such as "AIDS comes from abroad," "the woman back to the stove" and "let the booze free." In the 1988 elections
Swedish general election, 1988
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 18 September 1988. The elections saw the Green Party elected to parliament for the first time....
, the party had its trongest base 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...
.
Two Progress Parties
The Swedish Progress Party was founded as a national party in a congress in HelsingborgHelsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
on March 11, 1989. The party then added to its base defectors from the Centre Democrats
Centre Democrats (Sweden)
The Centre Democrats is a minor political party in Sweden, founded in 1974. While the party has described itself as a "centre alternative," it has been described externally as a right-wing populist party. It agitated against immigration from the 1980s, but toned down the issue in the 2000s,...
in Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, Mittpartiet in Ånge
Ånge
Ånge is a locality and the seat of Ånge Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 2,956 inhabitants in 2005.Ånge is a railway junction where the northern main line railway connected with the central main line railway .- References :...
, Löntagarepartiet in Åstorp
Åstorp
Åstorp is a bimunicipal locality and the seat of Åstorp Municipality in Skåne County, Sweden with 8,514 inhabitants in 2005. It is also partly located in Ängelholm Municipality.-Overview:...
and Kommunens Väl in Skurup
Skurup
Skurup is a locality and the seat of Skurup Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 6,978 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
. Tony Wiklander of Löntagarepartiet was elected as new party chairman, an established local politician in Åstorp with a history in the Left Party
Left Party (Sweden)
The Left Party is a socialist and feminist political party in Sweden, from 1967 to 1990 known as the Left Party – The Communists .On welfare issues, the party opposes privatizations...
and 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...
.
By 1990, the party claimed 2,000 members in 20 chapters around the country. Wiklander was however expelled as chairman in June due to comments in the media that were seen as too extreme, and his connections with the early Sweden Democrats
Sweden Democrats
The Sweden Democrats is a political party in Sweden, founded in 1988. SD describes itself as a nationalist movement although others use the term far-right. Since 2005, its party chairman is Jimmie Åkesson, while Björn Söder is the party secretary and parliamentary group leader. An Anemone...
and the New Swedish Movement. Wiklander then chose to establish a new party with the old name Progress Party in October the same year, with economic support from millionaire Carl Lundström
Carl Lundström
Carl Ulf Sture Lundström is a Swedish businessman.Carl Lundström is the son of Ulf Lundström and the grandson of Karl Edvard Lundström, founder of the world's largest crisp bread producer Wasabröd. When his father Ulf Lundström died in 1973, Carl Lundström was one of five heirs to Wasabröd and its...
. In the electoral campaign for the 1991 elections
Swedish general election, 1991
Election to the Parliament of Sweden was held on 15 September 1991. The election, like all parliamentary elections in Sweden, was conducted using a party-list proportional representation system....
, Wiklander's party among other things claimed that Swedes would become "a minority in their own country around the year 2055." In the election, both parties won six mandates in municipalities in Southern Sweden, and Wiklander's party had become the most important local party in Southern Sweden. In Åstorp, Wiklander's party started a cooperation with New Democracy
New Democracy (Sweden)
New Democracy was a political party in Sweden, founded in 1991 and elected into the Swedish Parliament in its first election, falling equally fast out again in 1994....
and an immigration skeptical faction of the Social Democrats.
As New Democracy emerged with similar policies, this led the primary financier of the Progress Party, Carl Lundström, to change his support to New Democracy. The Helsingborg chapter of the party then reshaped itself into Svensk Samling which merged into the Sweden Democrats
Sweden Democrats
The Sweden Democrats is a political party in Sweden, founded in 1988. SD describes itself as a nationalist movement although others use the term far-right. Since 2005, its party chairman is Jimmie Åkesson, while Björn Söder is the party secretary and parliamentary group leader. An Anemone...
in 1998. Later, most of the leaders joined the National Democrats
National Democrats (Sweden)
The National Democrats is a minor political party in Sweden, formed by a faction of the Sweden Democrats in October 2001. The party describes itself as a democratic nationalist and ethnopluralist party....
when that party was formed from the split of the Sweden Democrats in 2001.
Most municipal chapters, including that of party leader Tony Wiklander's in Åstorp, however waited until after the split of the Sweden Democrats in 2001 and thereafter merged with the Sweden Democrats, the more moderate faction. In Åstorp, Kommunens framtid was formed in January 2002 as a replacement for the Progress Party for the 2002 elections
Swedish general election, 2002
The Swedish general election of 2002 was held on Sunday 15 September to elect the 349 members to the Parliament of Sweden. This election was hels along with other elections in Sweden to the Municipalities and the County Councils. 5,385,430 of the 6,722,152 eligible to vote voted in this election .-...
. By 1997, the Progress Party had likely no more than 300 members.
A local Progress Party was founded in Bjuv in March 2000, gaining 2 seats in the municipality in the 2002 election
Swedish general election, 2002
The Swedish general election of 2002 was held on Sunday 15 September to elect the 349 members to the Parliament of Sweden. This election was hels along with other elections in Sweden to the Municipalities and the County Councils. 5,385,430 of the 6,722,152 eligible to vote voted in this election .-...
. Allan Jönsson was the party chairman from the start, until the party was turned into a local Sweden Democrats chapter before the 2006 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...
.
Local representation
1970 electionSwedish general election, 1970
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag was held 20 September 1970, two years ahead of schedule because of the opening of the new parliament the same year. It was the first election under the new unicameral system. The Social Democratic government gathered enough support to remain in power under its...
; 3 mandates in Klippan
Klippan Municipality
Klippan Municipality is a municipality in Skåne County in southern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Klippan.The municipality was created in 1974 through the amalgamation of the market town Klippan with the rural municipality of Riseberga and part of Östra Ljungby.Söderåsen National Park...
.
1985 election
Swedish general election, 1985
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 15 September 1985.-Election campaign:At a campaign meeting in Sundsvall on 22 August, Minister of social welfare Sten Andersson promised to increase the state pensions as a compensation for the price increases following the devaluation of the krona in 1982...
; 1 mandate in Motala
Motala
Motala is a locality and the seat of Motala Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 29,798 inhabitants in 2005. It is the third largest city of Östergötland, following Linköping and Norrköping...
.
1991 election
Swedish general election, 1991
Election to the Parliament of Sweden was held on 15 September 1991. The election, like all parliamentary elections in Sweden, was conducted using a party-list proportional representation system....
; 3 mandates in Landskrona
Landskrona
Landskrona is a locality and the seat of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 28,670 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Landskrona was founded at the location of Scania's best natural harbour, as a means of King Eric of Pomerania's anti-Hanseatic policy, intended to compete...
, 2 in Helsingborg
Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
.
1994 election
Swedish general election, 1994
The Swedish general election, 1994 for the 349 seats in the Parliament of Sweden took place on 18 September 1994....
; 1 mandate in Bjuv
Bjuv
Bjuv is a locality and the seat of Bjuv Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 6,348 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
, 2 in Landskrona, 2 in Markaryd
Markaryd
Markaryd is a locality and the seat of Markaryd Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 3,826 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
and 2 in Åstorp
Åstorp
Åstorp is a bimunicipal locality and the seat of Åstorp Municipality in Skåne County, Sweden with 8,514 inhabitants in 2005. It is also partly located in Ängelholm Municipality.-Overview:...
.
1998 election
Swedish general election, 1998
-Election results:Here are the results of the general election to the Parliament of Sweden , held on 20 September 1998.← Riksdag election, 1998 →PartyVotes%SeatsEq¹Party leader/Comment...
; 2 mandates in Bjuv, 4 in Landskrona and 1 in Åstorp.
2002 election
Swedish general election, 2002
The Swedish general election of 2002 was held on Sunday 15 September to elect the 349 members to the Parliament of Sweden. This election was hels along with other elections in Sweden to the Municipalities and the County Councils. 5,385,430 of the 6,722,152 eligible to vote voted in this election .-...
; 2 mandates in Bjuv.
(Swedish) Progress Party
- Bertil Rubin (1968–1979)
- Nils Lundgren (1979–1982)
- Stefan Herrmann (1982–1987)
- Nils Lundgren (1987–1989)
- Tony Wiklander (1989–1990)
- Ulf Sundholm (1990–1992)
- Carl-Eric Samuelsson (1992–1996)