Carl Bildt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carl Bildt
|
|
|---|---|
Bildt in 2016
|
|
| Prime Minister of Sweden | |
| In office 4 October 1991 – 7 October 1994 |
|
| Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
| Deputy | Bengt Westerberg |
| Preceded by | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Succeeded by | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 6 October 2006 – 3 October 2014 |
|
| Prime Minister | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Preceded by | Jan Eliasson |
| Succeeded by | Margot Wallström |
| High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
| In office 14 December 1995 – 17 June 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Westendorp |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 23 August 1986 – 4 October 1991 |
|
| Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
| Prime Minister | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Preceded by | Ulf Adelsohn |
| Succeeded by | Ingvar Carlsson |
| In office 7 October 1994 – 4 September 1999 |
|
| Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
| Prime Minister | Ingvar Carlsson Göran Persson |
| Preceded by | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Succeeded by | Bo Lundgren |
| Leader of the Moderate Party | |
| In office 23 August 1986 – 4 September 1999 |
|
| Preceded by | Ulf Adelsohn |
| Succeeded by | Bo Lundgren |
| Member of the Riksdag for Stockholm Municipality |
|
| In office 1979–2001 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nils Daniel Carl Bildt
15 July 1949 Halmstad, Sweden |
| Political party | Moderate |
| Spouses |
Kerstin Zetterberg
(m. 1974; div. 1975)Mia Bohman
(m. 1984; div. 1997)Anna Maria Corazza
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Gillis Bildt (great-great grandfather) Bildt family |
| Alma mater | Stockholm University |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Sweden |
| Branch/service |  Swedish Army |
Carl Bildt (born 15 July 1949) is a well-known Swedish politician and diplomat. He served as the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994. He also led the Moderate Party for many years, from 1986 to 1999. Later, he became the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2014.
Bildt first joined the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament) in 1979. He stayed there until 2001. He comes from the Bildt family, and his great-great-grandfather, Gillis Bildt, was also a Prime Minister of Sweden. Carl Bildt is also known for his international work. He helped as a mediator during the Yugoslav wars and worked for the United Nations. Since 2021, he has been a special envoy for the World Health Organization.
Contents
Early Life and School
Carl Bildt was born on 15 July 1949 in Halmstad, Sweden. His father, Daniel Bildt, was a military major. Carl's parents were Daniel Bildt and Kerstin Andersson-Alwå. He has a brother named Nils.
Carl Bildt has been married three times. He has three children, two from his second marriage and one from his third. He studied at Stockholm University.
Starting His Career in Politics
In 1968, Carl Bildt helped start a student group called Borgerliga Studenter – Opposition '68. This group won student elections in Stockholm. In the early 1970s, he led a student organization for center-right students in Sweden. He also led a similar group across Europe.
When a non-socialist government was formed in 1976, Bildt worked closely with the Minister of Economy. He became a Member of Parliament in 1979. In the 1980s, he became known for his strong opinions on foreign affairs. He was part of a group that looked into foreign submarines in Swedish waters. In 1986, he became the leader of the Moderate Party.
In the 1991 election, the Social Democrats lost. A group of four parties, led by Carl Bildt's Moderate Party, won.
Serving as Prime Minister
On 4 October 1991, Carl Bildt became the first conservative prime minister in Sweden in 61 years. He led a government made up of four parties. His government wanted to give Sweden a "new start" during a difficult economic time. They focused on selling government-owned companies and making rules simpler for businesses.
Bildt strongly believed in Sweden joining the European Union (EU). The previous government had already applied for EU membership. Bildt worked quickly to finish the talks for Sweden to join. He signed the agreement for Sweden to join the EU in June 1994. In November, people in Sweden voted in a referendum to approve joining. Sweden officially became a full member of the EU on 1 January 1995.
His government also made changes to the economy. They introduced voucher schools and made markets for phones and energy more open. They also sold some public companies and changed healthcare. These changes helped make the Swedish economy more open.
During this time, Sweden faced high unemployment and government debt. The economy was in a serious crisis. By 1994, the economy started to grow again.
Before becoming prime minister, Bildt was very against the Soviet Union. He supported the three Baltic nations (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). As prime minister, he helped these newly independent countries. He worked with their leaders and Russia's foreign minister.
His government also had to deal with many refugees coming from the war in Bosnia. Bildt supported a welcoming approach for them.
Carl Bildt was also one of the first politicians to use the Internet. In 1994, he sent the first known email between two heads of government to US President Bill Clinton.
His government sometimes had disagreements. One big disagreement was about building the Øresund Bridge. This led to one party leader leaving the government. Bildt continued to lead the Moderate Party until 1999.
Helping in the Balkans Conflict
After being prime minister, Bildt worked as a mediator in the Balkans conflict. He was a special envoy for the European Union in former Yugoslavia from 1995. He also helped lead the Dayton Peace Conference in November 1995. This conference led to the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the Bosnian War. From December 1995 to June 1997, he was the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
From 1999 to 2001, he was a special envoy for the United Nations Secretary-General in the Balkans. In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Sweden recognized Kosovo's independence. Carl Bildt was the first foreign minister to visit Kosovo after this happened.
Minister for Foreign Affairs
.jpg)
On 6 October 2006, Carl Bildt became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the new government. Many people were surprised by this, as he had already been prime minister. He kept this job after the 2010 election.
During his time as Foreign Minister, Bildt helped create the EU's Eastern Partnership in 2008. When Sweden led the presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2009, he led important EU meetings. He was often considered a possible candidate for a top EU foreign policy job.
Bildt supported the 2011 military intervention in Libya. In March 2011, the government sent Swedish fighter jets to Libya to help enforce a no-fly zone.
After the 2014 election, Bildt left his position as Foreign Minister. He then joined the board of the International Crisis Group.
Views on Turkey
As Foreign Minister in 2007, Bildt supported Turkey joining the EU. He called Istanbul a "true center of European history." He also called Kemal Atatürk "the most significant European revolutionary of the last century." However, Turkey's EU membership faced challenges. One issue was that Turkey did not recognize Cyprus, which is an EU member.
South Ossetian Conflict
After the 2008 South Ossetia war, Bildt wrote on his blog about Russia's reasons for its actions. He said that Russia's concern for its citizens in other countries was similar to past events in history. Bildt called South Ossetia's independence "a joke."
Other Activities
After leaving his role as leader of the Moderate Party in 1999, Carl Bildt worked in the private sector. He also joined international research groups called "think tanks." He was the first non-US member on the board of the RAND Corporation. He also served on advisory boards for other groups focused on European and international affairs.
Bildt held positions on the boards of several companies. These included a US company called Legg Mason, Inc., and Swedish companies like Teleopti and Kreab AB. In 2000, he joined the board of Lundin Petroleum, an oil company. In 2002, he joined the board of Vostok Nafta, a financial company. He left all these positions when he became Foreign Minister in 2006.
Internet Use
Carl Bildt was one of the first politicians to use the Internet for communication. In 1994, he sent an email to US President Bill Clinton. This was the first known email between two heads of government. He also started a weekly email newsletter. He began blogging in 2005. His current blog is very popular in Sweden.
In 2007, Bildt opened a "Swedish embassy" in the online virtual world Second Life. The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also started a channel on YouTube in 2008. Bildt is very active on Twitter, where he has many followers. By 2013, a survey showed him as one of the most connected world leaders online.
Life After Politics
In 2015, Carl Bildt was appointed to Ukraine's International Advisory Council on Reforms. This group advises the Ukrainian President on security and economic issues. He also became an advisor to a Russian investment group called LetterOne.
Bildt led the Global Commission on Internet Governance, which finished its work in 2016. He also joined an international law firm as a Senior Policy Advisor. He writes monthly articles for an international organization called Project Syndicate.
After the 2022 Swedish general election, the new Prime Minister offered Bildt the job of Foreign Minister again. However, Bildt declined, saying he prefers not to do the same thing twice.
Non-Profit Work
Carl Bildt is involved with many non-profit organizations. These groups focus on different areas like European policy, global leadership, and international relations. Some of the organizations he is part of include:
- Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)
- Global Leadership Foundation
- Historians without Borders
- Atlantic Council
- European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
- International Crisis Group (ICG)
- RAND Corporation
- Trilateral Commission
Awards and Honors
Carl Bildt has received many awards and honors from different countries. These include:
- H. M. The King's Medal from Sweden (2003)
- Legion of Honour, Commander (France)
- Order of St Michael and St George, Honorary Knight Commander (UK)
- Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Cross (Germany)
- Order of the Oak Crown, Grand Cross (Luxembourg)
- Order of the Phoenix, Grand Cross (Greece)
- Order of Merit, Grand Cross (Italy)
- Order of Merit, Grand Cross (Poland)
- Order of Grand Duke Gediminas, Grand Cross (Lithuania)
- Order of the Three Stars, Commander Grand Cross (Latvia)
- Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, Grand Cross (Estonia)
- Royal Order of Merit, Grand Cross (Norway)
- Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Second Class (Ukraine)
He also has an honorary doctorate from the University of St Andrews. In 2015, he received the Knight of Freedom Award.
Images for kids
-
Carl Bildt's signature
-
Swedish Army emblem
See also
In Spanish: Carl Bildt para niños
