John Fredrik Reinfeldt (born August 4, 1965 in Österhaninge) is the current Prime Minister of Sweden and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party (Swedish: Moderata samlingspartiet).
A native of Stockholm County, Reinfeldt joined the Moderate Youth League in 1983, and by 1992 had risen to the rank of chairperson of the league, a position he held until 1995. Reinfeldt has been a Member of the Riksdag since 1991, representing his home constituency. Following the 1994 defeat of the Moderate-led coalition government Reinfeldt adopted a critical stance against the party leadership under Carl Bildt, which resulted in isolation within the party. However, following a change of leadership in 1999 and a disastrous result at the 2002 election Reinfeldt gradually became more influential within the Moderate Party.
He was elected party leader on October 25, 2003, succeeding Bo Lundgren. Under Reinfeldt's leadership the Moderate Party has transformed its policies, branding itself "the new Moderates". Following the 2006 election, held on September 17, Reinfeldt as leader of the largest party with a majority was selected by the outgoing Speaker of the Riksdag Björn von Sydow to become Prime Minister of Sweden and form a coalition government. Together with three other political parties in the Alliance for Sweden, Reinfeldt presides over a centre-right coalition government which has the support of a narrow majority in the parliament. At the age of 41, Reinfeldt is the third youngest person to become Prime Minister of Sweden.
Genealogy
Reinfeldt's paternal great grandfather, John Reinfeldt, was the illegitimate son of Emma Dorotea Reinfeld, a maid from Eckau in today's Latvia, and John Hood, a mulatto circus director from New York. Emma Dorotea Reinfeld later married the Swede Anders Karlsson, but her son John kept his mother's surname. The spelling was later changed to Reinfeldt. Also, his paternal grandmother was of Italian descent.
Read more |