Göran Persson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Göran Persson
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Persson in 2005
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| Prime Minister of Sweden | |
| In office 22 March 1996 – 6 October 2006 |
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| Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
| Deputy | Lena Hjelm-Wallén Margareta Winberg Marita Ulvskog Lars Engqvist Bo Ringholm |
| Preceded by | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Succeeded by | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 6 October 2006 – 17 March 2007 |
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| Monarch | Carl XVI Gustaf |
| Prime Minister | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Preceded by | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Succeeded by | Mona Sahlin |
| Leader of the Social Democrats | |
| In office 15 March 1996 – 17 March 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Succeeded by | Mona Sahlin |
| Minister for Finance | |
| In office 7 October 1994 – 22 March 1996 |
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| Prime Minister | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Preceded by | Anne Wibble |
| Succeeded by | Erik Åsbrink |
| Minister for Schools | |
| In office 26 January 1989 – 4 October 1991 |
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| Prime Minister | Ingvar Carlsson |
| Preceded by | Bengt Göransson |
| Succeeded by | Beatrice Ask |
| Member of the Swedish Parliament for Södermanland County |
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| In office 1 October 1979 – 11 June 1985 |
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| In office 5 October 1991 – 30 April 2007 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 January 1949 Vingåker, Sweden |
| Political party | Social Democratic |
| Spouses |
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| Children |
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| Residences | Övre Torp, Södermanland |
| Alma mater | Örebro University College |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Sweden |
| Branch/service |  Swedish Army |
| Years of service | 1973-1974 |
Hans Göran Persson (born 20 January 1949) is a Swedish politician. He was the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1996 to 2006. He also led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 2007.
Persson was first elected to the Swedish Parliament in 1979. He represented Södermanland County. In 1985, he became a local leader in Katrineholm until 1989. He was re-elected to Parliament in 1991. From 1989 to 1991, he was the Minister for Schools. Later, from 1994 to 1996, he served as the Minister for Finance.
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Göran Persson's Political Journey
Göran Persson became Prime Minister after Ingvar Carlsson retired. He continued to work on improving Sweden's economy. When he started, Sweden had a large budget problem. By making changes, he helped the country's finances get much better. This helped Sweden meet the requirements for the European Economic and Monetary Union.
In the 1998 election, his party received fewer votes. However, he remained Prime Minister with support from the Green Party and the Left Party. In the 2002 election, his party gained more seats. After losing the 2006 election, Persson resigned as Prime Minister. He also announced he would step down as party leader in 2007.
Early Career in Politics
Persson started his political work in the early 1970s. He was part of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League. He also served on the national board from 1972 to 1975. Later, he worked in local government in Katrineholm. He was a city council politician there. He was elected to Parliament in 1979. He then returned to local politics from 1985 to 1989.
Becoming a National Leader
In 1989, Persson became the Minister of Schools. This was part of the first government led by Ingvar Carlsson. The Social Democrats lost the election in 1991. Persson was a key person behind the "Persson-plan" in 1994. This plan aimed to fix Sweden's economic problems. At that time, Sweden faced a recession, high unemployment, and a large budget deficit.
The 1994 election was a big success for the Social Democrats. They won more than 45 percent of the votes. When they returned to power, Persson became the Minister for Finance. He held this job until 1996. His main goal was to create a strong financial balance for the country. He often said he "cleaned up" the economy. He followed 10 "Commandments" in his job. One famous saying was: "one who is in debt is not free."
Leading the Country as Prime Minister
In 1996, Persson was chosen to lead Sweden. He took over from Carlsson. He continued to focus on fixing the country's budget problems. In 1994, the yearly budget shortfall was about 13 percent of Sweden's total economic output. After making tough decisions like cutting welfare and raising taxes, it dropped to 2.6 percent by 1997. This helped Sweden meet the requirements to join the European economic and monetary union.
However, these changes had a cost. Unemployment went up, staying around 13 percent for a while. It later dropped to about 6.5 percent. In the 1998 election, the Social Democrats got fewer votes. But Persson stayed Prime Minister with support from the Green and Left parties. His government then suggested big cuts to military spending.
By 1999, the economy was doing well. Growth was strong, inflation was low, and the budget had a surplus. This was the first time in the 1990s. The party suggested income tax cuts for the year 2000. In 2000, the economy continued to grow. Unemployment fell to its lowest level in years. However, the Social Democrats did not gain much support in opinion polls. The smaller Left Party, a Social Democrat ally, gained support. They wanted more public spending and opposed Sweden joining the European single currency.
By 2001, the "dot-com boom" ended. This had a big impact on Sweden. Many companies, like Ericsson, cut jobs. The government hoped that tax cuts and other benefits would help the economy. Exports were also expected to increase in 2002. This was helped by the Swedish krona being weaker.
Elections and Resignation
In the 2002 election, the Social Democrats gained more seats. This was mainly because the Left Party lost some. Persson continued to lead a minority government. He did not form a coalition.
After his party lost the general elections on 17 September 2006, Persson quickly resigned. He also said he would step down as party leader in March 2007. In April 2007, Persson resigned from the Riksdag. He had served there from 1979–1985 and from 1991.
Life After Being Prime Minister
After leaving office, Persson became a consultant for a PR firm in Stockholm. In October 2007, he released his book, "Min väg, mina val" (My path, my choices).
In March 2007, a TV documentary series about his time in office aired. In April 2008, he became the chairman of the board of Sveaskog. This is a forestry company owned by the Swedish government. He held this position until 2015. In 2019, he became chairman of Swedbank, one of Sweden's largest banks.
In late 2008, he joined the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation. This group works to promote tolerance in Europe. They also fight against prejudice and intolerance. In March 2010, Persson was elected to the Board of Directors of World Resources Institute.
Personal Life and Family
Göran Persson was born in Vingåker, Sweden. He grew up in a working-class family. As a young man, he studied social science at a college in Örebro. He later received an honorary Ph.D. from the renamed Örebro University in 2005.
He has been married three times. He first married Gunnel Claesson in 1978. They had two daughters and divorced in 1994. He then married Annika Barthine in 1994. They divorced in 2003. On 6 December 2003, Persson married Anitra Steen. In 2004, Persson and Steen bought a large farm called Övre Torp in Södermanland. They started building a new house there in 2006.
Besides Swedish, Persson also speaks English. He is a member of the Swedish Association of Christian Social Democrats.
Health
In September 2003, Persson was diagnosed with hip problems. He needed surgery. He chose to use Sweden's public health-care system. He had a hip replacement operation in June 2004. During the nine months he waited, he had a limp and was in pain. He had to cancel some official trips.
Foreign Policy and Global Work
Göran Persson has always supported Sweden being an active member of the European Union. When Sweden held the EU presidency in 2001, Persson helped with the expansion of the EU in 2004. He also wanted Sweden to join the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). However, in a 2003 vote, most Swedes voted against joining the EMU.
Promoting Holocaust Education
In 1998, Prime Minister Persson started international discussions. These talks led to the creation of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research (ITF). This group now has 27 member countries.
He had already brought up the topic of Holocaust education in the Swedish Parliament. He started a national campaign called "Living History." Its goal was to use facts about the Holocaust to teach about democracy, tolerance, and how every person is equally valuable.
Awards and Recognitions
- Raoul Wallenberg Award (USA, 2001)
- Honorary doctorate from Dankook University in Seoul (South Korea, 2004)
- Honorary doctorate from the University of Örebro (2004)
- The Sophie Prize, for his leadership in climate policy (Norway, 2007)
- H. M. The King's Medal, 12th size with chain (2009)
- Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, First Class (Estonia, 2011)
See also
In Spanish: Göran Persson para niños
