Thorbjörn Fälldin
Encyclopedia
Thorbjörn Fälldin is a Swedish
politician. He was Prime Minister of Sweden
in three non-consecutive cabinets from 1976 to 1982, and leader of the Swedish Centre Party
from 1971 to 1985. On his first appointment in 1976, he was the first non-Social Democrat
Prime Minister for forty years and the first since the 1930s not to have worked as a professional politician since his teens.
family in Ångermanland
, and in 1956 he and his wife, as a newlywed young couple, took over a small farm. However, the farming authorities did not approve the purchase, as the farm was regarded too small and too run down, and so refused to provide the usual farm subsidies. Fälldin felt deeply humiliated by that treatment and fought the authorities all the way.
This fight led him into the youth branch of the Swedish Agrarian party Bondeförbundet, which in 1958 changed its name to Centerpartiet (the Centre Party). He and his family maintained their farm throughout his political life, and when he resigned from politics in 1985 he immediately returned to it.
in 1958 for the agrarian-rooted Centre Party. In competition with Johannes Antonsson
, he became first vice-chairman of the party in 1969, and then chairman in 1971, succeeding veteran Gunnar Hedlund
.
In 1973 Fälldin proposed that the party should merge with the Liberal Party
, but he failed to gain the support of a majority of party members.
In the 1976 election
, the Social Democrats sensationally lost their majority for the first time in 40 years. The non-Socialist parties (the Centre Party, the Liberal Party and the Conservative Moderate Party
) formed a coalition government
, and as the Centre Party was the largest of the three, Fälldin was appointed Prime Minister. Two years later, however, the coalition fell apart over the issue of Swedish dependency on nuclear power
(with the Centre Party taking a strong anti-nuclear stand), which led to Fälldin's resignation and the formation of a minority Liberal Party government.
Following the 1979 election
, Fälldin regained the post of Prime Minister, despite his party suffering major losses and losing its leading role in the centre-right camp, primarily due to public disenchantment with the Centre Party over its compromise on nuclear power with the nuclear-friendly Moderates, and he again formed a coalition government with the Liberals and the Moderates. This cabinet also lasted for two years, when disagreement over tax policies compelled the Moderates to leave the coalition. Fälldin continued as Prime Minister until the election in 1982, when the Social Democrats regained power as the Socialist bloc won a majority in the Riksdag.
After a disastrous second election defeat in 1985 Fälldin resigned as party leader and politician, after facing massive criticism from his party, and returned to his farm. His honorary posts since that time have included chairman of Föreningsbanken
and Televerket
.
Fälldin refused to allow security concerns to rule his life. During his years as Prime Minister, he lived on his own in a small rented apartment in central Stockholm, while his family ran the farm up in northern Sweden. He did his own cooking and carried out the garbage in the morning to the communal dustbins in the backyard, before taking a brisk 15 minute walk to his office, shadowed at a distance by an unmarked police car which had been waiting outside the apartment block - his only concession to the security concerns.
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. He was 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...
in three non-consecutive cabinets from 1976 to 1982, and leader of the Swedish 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...
from 1971 to 1985. On his first appointment in 1976, he was the first non-Social Democrat
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...
Prime Minister for forty years and the first since the 1930s not to have worked as a professional politician since his teens.
Biography
Fälldin grew up in a farmingFarmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
family in Ångermanland
Ångermanland
' is a historical province or landskap in the north of Sweden. It borders to Medelpad, Jämtland, Lapland, Västerbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia. The name "Ångermanland" comes from the Old Norse "anger", which means "deep fjord" and refers to the deep mouth of the river Ångermanälven...
, and in 1956 he and his wife, as a newlywed young couple, took over a small farm. However, the farming authorities did not approve the purchase, as the farm was regarded too small and too run down, and so refused to provide the usual farm subsidies. Fälldin felt deeply humiliated by that treatment and fought the authorities all the way.
This fight led him into the youth branch of the Swedish Agrarian party Bondeförbundet, which in 1958 changed its name to Centerpartiet (the Centre Party). He and his family maintained their farm throughout his political life, and when he resigned from politics in 1985 he immediately returned to it.
Political career
Fälldin entered the Swedish national political stage when he was elected to the Swedish RiksdagParliament 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...
in 1958 for the agrarian-rooted Centre Party. In competition with Johannes Antonsson
Johannes Antonsson
Johannes Antonsson was a Swedish politician for the Centre Party. A member of the Riksdag from 1958 to 1979, he was interior minister from 1976 to 1978, and governor of the province of Halland from 1979 to 1986. He also served as vice-chairman of the Centre Party from 1969 to 1979....
, he became first vice-chairman of the party in 1969, and then chairman in 1971, succeeding veteran Gunnar Hedlund
Gunnar Hedlund
Gunnar Hedlund was a Swedish politician. He was chairman of the Centre Party 1949-1971, Home Secretary 1951-1957 and member of the Riksdag 1942-1976....
.
In 1973 Fälldin proposed that the party should merge with the Liberal 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...
, but he failed to gain the support of a majority of party members.
In the 1976 election
Swedish general election, 1976
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held September 19, 1976. The result ended in an expected coalition government between the agrarian Centre Party, the Liberal People's Party and the conservative Moderate Party, thus forming Sweden's first non-socialist government since 1936...
, the Social Democrats sensationally lost their majority for the first time in 40 years. The non-Socialist parties (the Centre Party, the Liberal Party and the Conservative 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...
) formed a coalition government
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...
, and as the Centre Party was the largest of the three, Fälldin was appointed Prime Minister. Two years later, however, the coalition fell apart over the issue of Swedish dependency on nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
(with the Centre Party taking a strong anti-nuclear stand), which led to Fälldin's resignation and the formation of a minority Liberal Party government.
Following the 1979 election
Swedish general election, 1979
Elections to the Swedish Riksdag held 16 September 1979. The liberal oriented interim government of Ola Ullsten was successfully succeeded by another centre-right coalition government composed of the People's Party, Moderate Party and Centre Party, led by Centre Party leader Thorbjörn Fälldin,...
, Fälldin regained the post of Prime Minister, despite his party suffering major losses and losing its leading role in the centre-right camp, primarily due to public disenchantment with the Centre Party over its compromise on nuclear power with the nuclear-friendly Moderates, and he again formed a coalition government with the Liberals and the Moderates. This cabinet also lasted for two years, when disagreement over tax policies compelled the Moderates to leave the coalition. Fälldin continued as Prime Minister until the election in 1982, when the Social Democrats regained power as the Socialist bloc won a majority in the Riksdag.
After a disastrous second election defeat in 1985 Fälldin resigned as party leader and politician, after facing massive criticism from his party, and returned to his farm. His honorary posts since that time have included chairman of Föreningsbanken
Föreningsbanken
Föreningsbanken was a rural and agriculturally-focused Swedish bank, with branches all over Sweden, which merged with Sparbanken in 1997 to create FöreningsSparbanken....
and Televerket
Televerket
Televerket is the name of two government telecommunications agencies:*Televerket , former name of Swedish company Telia, later merged to TeliaSonera.*Televerket, former name of Norwegian company Telenor...
.
Legacy
During his 27 years as a national politician Fälldin was generally appreciated in most political camps for his straightforwardness, unpretentiousness and willingness to listen to all views. His two periods as Prime Minister were far from easy; trying to get three very different parties to work together in a coalition, while Sweden underwent its worst recession since the 1930s and the Social Democrats were furious over having lost the power that they, after 40 years, had come to regard as self-evidently theirs.Fälldin refused to allow security concerns to rule his life. During his years as Prime Minister, he lived on his own in a small rented apartment in central Stockholm, while his family ran the farm up in northern Sweden. He did his own cooking and carried out the garbage in the morning to the communal dustbins in the backyard, before taking a brisk 15 minute walk to his office, shadowed at a distance by an unmarked police car which had been waiting outside the apartment block - his only concession to the security concerns.