Maud Olofsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maud Olofsson
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Olofsson in 2011
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| Minister for Enterprise and Energy | |
| In office 6 October 2006 – 29 September 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Preceded by | Thomas Östros |
| Succeeded by | Annie Lööf |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden | |
| In office 6 October 2006 – 5 October 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Fredrik Reinfeldt |
| Preceded by | Bosse Ringholm |
| Succeeded by | Jan Björklund |
| Chairperson of the Centre Party | |
| In office 19 March 2001 – 23 September 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Lennart Daléus |
| Succeeded by | Annie Lööf |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 August 1955 Örnsköldsvik, Sweden |
| Political party | Centre Party |
| Spouse | Rolf Olofsson |
Maud Elisabeth Olofsson (born on August 9, 1955) is a former Swedish politician. She was the leader of the Swedish Centre Party for ten years, from 2001 to 2011. She also served as the Minister for Enterprise and Energy from 2006 to 2011. From 2006 to 2010, she was the Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden. She was a member of the Riksdag, which is Sweden's parliament, from 2002 to 2011.
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Maud Olofsson's Political Journey
Maud Olofsson was born in Arnäsvall, Sweden. She grew up in a place called Högbyn. Her journey in politics began early. In 1974, she started working for the youth group of the Centre Party. She was an "ombudsman," which means she helped people and represented their interests.
From 1976, she was a member of the local council in Luleå. This meant she helped make decisions for the local community. She continued working for the Centre Party in different roles.
Working in Government
From 1992 to 1994, Maud Olofsson worked for the government. She was a special advisor to a minister in the Department of Labour. This was during a time when Carl Bildt led the government.
Later, from 1997 to 2001, she was a managing director for an organization called the Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies. This group helps people in the countryside.
Becoming Party Leader
On March 19, 2001, Maud Olofsson was chosen as the leader of the Centre Party. She took over from Lennart Daléus. After the election in 2002, many people said the party did better because of her. They called it the "Maud effect." This meant her leadership helped the party gain more support.
Her Political Ideas
Maud Olofsson believed in traditional Centre Party ideas. She focused on supporting people in rural areas of Sweden. She wanted to make sure these communities could thrive. She also supported economic policies that were more center-right.
She described her party's ideas as "Social Liberalism." This is a mix of ideas that support individual freedom and social fairness. Even though the Centre Party had sometimes worked with the Social Democrats, Maud Olofsson chose a different path. She made the Centre Party work closely with other parties. These included the Liberals, the Christian Democrats, and the Moderate Party.
Maud Olofsson also helped make the Centre Party more modern. She made it more open to the European Union. She also supported ideas about market liberalism, which means less government control over businesses. She was important in forming a group of right-wing parties called Alliansen. This group worked together in elections.
Serving as a Minister
In 2006, the Alliansen group won the election. They formed a new government led by Fredrik Reinfeldt. Maud Olofsson was given two important jobs. She became the Deputy Prime Minister. She also became the Minister for Enterprise and Energy. This meant she was in charge of business and energy matters for the country.
Stepping Down
Maud Olofsson announced on June 17, 2011, that she would step down as party leader. Annie Lööf took over from her on September 23, 2011. After she retired, some people criticized a decision made when she was a minister. This was about a state-owned energy company, Vattenfall, and a deal it made to buy a Dutch energy company called Nuon.
Awards and Recognition
Maud Olofsson has received special honors for her work.
In 2007, she received the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria. This is a very high award from Austria.
See also
In Spanish: Maud Olofsson para niños
