Jonas Sjöstedt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jonas Sjöstedt
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Sjöstedt speaking at the International Workers' Day march of the Left Party in Gothenburg 2019
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| Member of the European Parliament | |
| Assumed office 16 July 2024 |
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| Constituency | Sweden |
| In office 9 October 1995 – 26 September 2006 |
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| Constituency | Sweden |
| Leader of the Left Party | |
| In office 6 January 2012 – 31 October 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Lars Ohly |
| Succeeded by | Nooshi Dadgostar |
| Member of the Riksdag | |
| In office 4 October 2010 – 3 November 2020 |
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| Succeeded by | Gudrun Nordborg |
| Constituency | Västerbotten County |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 December 1964 Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Political party | Left Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Socialist Party USA |
| Profession | Metalworker |
Jonas Sjöstedt is a Swedish politician. He was born on December 25, 1964. He has held important roles in Swedish politics.
He was the leader of the Left Party from 2012 to 2020. He was also a member of the Swedish parliament, called the Riksdag. He has been a member of the European Parliament at different times, including since 2024.
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Early Life and School
Jonas Sjöstedt was born in Gothenburg, Sweden. His father was an engineer and a teacher. His mother worked as a psychotherapist. Because of his father's job, his family moved often when he was young.
Jonas had dyslexia, which made reading hard for him until he was nine years old. He found school difficult and even left twice. Later, he moved to Luleå to finish a social studies course. During this time, he was involved in a student organization and became its vice chairman.
After school, Jonas worked different jobs. He later moved to Umeå and worked on the assembly line at a Volvo car factory.
Political Journey
Jonas Sjöstedt became interested in politics when he was very young. He was against the Vietnam War. He felt very happy when the war ended when he was just 10 years old.
At 13, he joined the youth group of the Left Party in Vänersborg. In the 1980s, he helped edit their newspaper, Röd Press.
European Parliament Work
Jonas was against Sweden joining the European Union. But after Sweden voted to join in 1994, he ran for the European Parliament in 1995 and was elected. He was re-elected in 1999 and 2004.
He worked on a committee that focused on the environment, public health, and consumer issues. He left the European Parliament in 2006. He also voted "No" when Sweden considered using the euro currency in 2003.
Time in New York
After 2006, Jonas took a break from Swedish politics. He moved to New York City in the United States. While there, he became a member of the Socialist Party USA.
Back in the Riksdag
When he returned to Sweden, he was elected to the Riksdag, which is Sweden's parliament. He represented Västerbotten County. He was very popular with voters in his area.
Leading the Left Party
In 2011, Jonas Sjöstedt decided to run for leader of the Left Party. He thought the party should have a female co-leader because it was a feminist party. On January 6, 2012, he was elected as the leader of the Left Party.
He wanted the Left Party to work with the Swedish Social Democratic Party and the Green Party. However, he felt that past alliances made the Left Party compromise too much.
In 2018, he spoke out against stricter immigration laws in Sweden. He believed countries should not compete to have the toughest rules. He wanted people to be able to get permanent residence permits and reunite with their families.
In January 2020, Jonas announced he would step down as party leader. He wanted to spend more time with his family, who were living in Vietnam. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his resignation was delayed until October 31, 2020. Nooshi Dadgostar was then chosen as the new leader.
He also criticized the Swedish government for making deals with Turkey to join NATO. He felt this betrayed the Kurdish people.
Return to European Parliament
In 2024, Jonas Sjöstedt was the main candidate for the Left Party in the 2024 European Parliament election in Sweden. He received the most personal votes ever in a European Parliament election in Sweden.
Personal Life
In 2006, Jonas Sjöstedt moved to New York City with his wife, Ann Måwe. She is a Swedish diplomat who worked for Sweden at the United Nations. He was an active member of the Socialist Party USA during his time there.
In 2020, he moved to Hanoi, Vietnam, where his wife works as the Swedish ambassador. Jonas writes for Swedish publications, including radio and print. He also writes history books and fiction stories.
See also
In Spanish: Jonas Sjöstedt para niños
