The Moderate Coalition Party or Moderata samlingspartiet (commonly referred to as Moderaterna) is a liberal-conservative political party in Sweden. It is a member of the International Democrat Union and European Peoples Party/European Democrats. The party was founded as a coalition of conservative members of parliament in the Swedish Riksdag during the second half of the 19th century. In elections they where known under the name "Allmänna valmansförbundet" or the "General Electoral Union". During first half of the 20th century the loose coalition was organized into a proper party and in the late 1960s the present name was adopted, replacing "Högerpartiet" or the "Right-wing party" which had been in use for a number of decades.

In the 1970s, under party leader Gösta Bohman, the traditional conservative policies gave way for more liberal policies especially in the economic field. This resulted in a successive upswing in the elections and Gösta Bohman became Minister of Economy in 1976. Roughly a decade later in 1991, a Moderate led government under Carl Bildt as Prime Minister had made its way to power.

The party emphasizes personal freedom, free enterprise, and reduction of the public-sector growth rate, while still supporting most of the social benefits introduced since the 1930s. The party also supports a strong defense and Sweden's membership in the European Union. Its voter base is urban business people and professionals, but the party also attracts young voters, entrepreneurs, and, to a modest extent, blue-collar workers.

Party leaders

• Fredrik Östberg (1904-1905)
• Axel Svedelius (1905-1906)
• Hugo Tamm (1907+)
• Fredrik Östberg (1908-1912)
• Arvid Lindman (1912-1917)
• Olof Jonsson i Hov (1917)
• Arvid Lindman (1917-1935)
• Gösta Bagge (1935-1944)
• Fritiof Domö (1944-1950)
• Jarl Hjalmarson (1950-1961)
• Gunnar Heckscher (1961-1965)
• Yngve Holmberg (1965-1970)
• Gösta Bohman (1970-1981)
• Ulf Adelsohn (1981-1986)
• Carl Bildt (1986-1999)
• Bo Lundgren (1999-2003)
• Fredrik Reinfeldt (2003-present)

See also

• Politics of Sweden
• Prime Minister of Sweden
• Government of Sweden
• Parliament of Sweden
• Elections in Sweden
• Liberal conservatism

References

• United States Department of State - Sweden (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2880.htm)

External links

• Moderat.se (http://www.moderat.se/) - Official site