Ulf Kristersson

Ulf Kristersson is a Swedish politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Sweden since October 2022 and as leader of the Moderate Party since 2017. He previously held the cabinet post of Minister for Social Security in the Reinfeldt Cabinet. His premiership follows the 2022 election, leading a coalition government dependent on support from the Sweden Democrats.

Early life and education

Ulf Kristersson was born in Lund and grew up in the Täby area north of Stockholm. He attended the Enskilda Gymnasiet in the capital before undertaking mandatory service in the Swedish Army. He subsequently pursued higher education at Uppsala University, graduating with a degree in business administration and economics. During his university years, he was active in student politics within the Moderate Students of Uppsala.

Political career

Kristersson's political career began with his election to the Täby municipal council in the early 1990s. He was first elected to the Riksdag in 1994, representing Stockholm County. He served as the Moderate Party's social policy spokesperson and later as its economic policy spokesperson. Between 2010 and 2014, he served as the Minister for Social Security in the center-right Alliance government led by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. Following the party's electoral defeat in 2014, he was a prominent figure in the opposition before being elected party leader in 2017, succeeding Anna Kinberg Batra.

Prime Minister of Sweden

Following the 2022 Swedish general election, where the Moderate Party formed part of the victorious right-wing bloc, Kristersson was tasked by King Carl XVI Gustaf with forming a government. On 18 October 2022, the Riksdag elected him Prime Minister of Sweden, succeeding Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats. His government is a minority coalition consisting of the Moderate Party, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals, which governs through a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Sweden Democrats. Key early policies have focused on addressing gang violence, reforming migration policy, and managing Sweden's accession to NATO.

Political positions

Kristersson is identified with the liberal conservative and pro-European wing of his party. He advocates for economic liberalism, tax cuts, and reforms to the welfare state to increase private sector involvement. On foreign policy, he is a strong supporter of EU cooperation, transatlantic relations, and, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, championed Sweden's application to join NATO. His government has pursued stricter immigration laws and tougher measures on crime, aligning with the Sweden Democrats' key demands. He has also emphasized policies to boost nuclear power and other energy sources.

Personal life

Ulf Kristersson is married to Birgitta Ed, a psychologist and former politician for the Christian Democrats. The couple, who wed in 1991, have three adopted daughters. Kristersson has been open about his personal struggles, including a period of clinical depression in the late 1990s, which he has discussed in his book *Det sovande folket*. He is a member of the Church of Sweden and resides at Sager House, the official prime ministerial residence.

Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Prime Ministers of Sweden Category:Moderate Party (Sweden) politicians