Speakers

Göran Persson - former PM of Sweden

Göran Persson was the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1996 to 2006 and the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 2007.

“We will always face new challenges. People’s needs and demands grow and change all the time. Previous challenges return”. Göran Persson says that his tenures as Municipal Commissioner gave insights that became instrumental for his continued political activities. A key lesson was that society constantly evolves.

He was appointed Minister for Finance in 1994. One of his most important tasks as Finance Minister was to stabilize Sweden’s budget. Göran Persson was elected Chair of the Social Democratic Party in March of 1996. Later that year, he became Prime Minister of Sweden until 2006. He was Prime Minister during the Swedish EU Presidency in 2001 where important decisions regarding the EU enlargment were made.

Under Göran Persson’s leadership, the Swedish Government pursed an active foreign policy aiming at promoting international peace and development. Göran Persson remains strongly committed to, among other things, reducing unemployment, securing the quality of education, improving the integration of immigrants, protecting the environment and contributing to a world in peace and freedom. In December 2005 Göran Persson and the Swedish government set up a commission to draw an overall programme to reduce Swedeńs dependence on oil.