Minister of Defence (Sweden)

Minister for Defence of Sweden
Statsråd och chef för försvarsdepartementet
Ministry coat of arms
Command Sign
Incumbent
Pål Jonson
since 18 October 2022
Ministry of Defence
StyleHerr statsråd
Member ofThe Government
Reports toThe Prime Minister
AppointerThe Prime Minister
was technically appointed by the King prior to 1975
Term lengthNo fixed term,
serves at the Prime Minister's discretion
Inaugural holderPer Albin Hansson
Formation1920
DeputyState Secretary for Defence
Websitewww.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2060

The Minister for Defence of Sweden (Swedish: försvarsminister; formal title: Swedish: statsråd och chef för försvarsdepartementet) is a member of the Government of Sweden (Swedish: Regeringen). The Minister heads the Ministry for Defence and is appointed and dismissed at the sole discretion of the prime minister of Sweden.

Although the Minister for Defence heads the Ministry of Defence, the Minister cannot as a general rule issue directives in his/her own right to the Supreme Commander or any other agency director-general in the defence portfolio due to the Swedish prohibition on ministerial rule, unless such authority is provided for in specific statutory provisions.

Between 1840 and 1920, what corresponds to the Ministry for Defence today, was divided in two separate ministries with their own minister: one for Army affairs, the Ministry of Land Defence, and one for Naval affairs, the Ministry for Naval Affairs.

The current Minister for Defence is Pål Jonson, who was appointed on 18 October 2022.

List of Swedish Ministers for Defence[edit]

Ministers for War (1840-1920)[edit]

Ministers for Naval Affairs (1840-1920)[edit]

Ministers for Defence (1920-)[edit]

Parties

Status

  Denotes acting Minister for Defence
No. Portrait Minister
(Born–Died)
Tenure Political party Cabinet
Took office Left office Duration
1
Per Albin Hansson
Per Albin Hansson
(1885–1946)
1 July 192027 October 1920118 daysSocial DemocratsBranting I Cabinet
S/SAP
2
Carl Gustaf Hammarskjöld
Carl Gustaf Hammarskjöld
(1865–1940)
27 October 19206 June 1921222 daysElectoral LeagueDe Geer Cabinet
Von Sydow Cabinet
3
Otto Lybeck
Otto Lybeck
(1871–1947)
6 June 192113 October 1921129 daysIndependentVon Sydow Cabinet
(1)
Per Albin Hansson
Per Albin Hansson
(1885–1946)
13 October 192119 April 19231 year, 188 daysSocial DemocratsBranting II Cabinet
S/SAP
4
Carl Malmroth
Carl Malmroth
(1874–1934)
19 April 192318 October 19241 year, 182 daysIndependentTrygger Cabinet
Electoral League
(1)
Per Albin Hansson
Per Albin Hansson
(1885–1946)
18 October 19247 June 19261 year, 232 daysSocial DemocratsBranting III Cabinet
Sandler Cabinet
S/SAP
5
Gustav Rosén
Gustav Rosén
(1876–1942)
7 June 19262 October 19282 years, 117 daysLiberalsEkman I Cabinet
LL
6
Harald Malmberg
Harald Malmberg
(1879–1948)
2 October 19287 June 19301 year, 248 daysElectoral LeagueLindman II Cabinet
Electoral League
7
Carl Gustaf Ekman
Carl Gustaf Ekman
(1872–1945)
7 June 193019 June 19311 year, 12 daysLiberalsEkman II Cabinet
L
8
Anton Rundqvist
Anton Rundqvist
(1885–1973)
19 June 193124 September 19321 year, 97 daysIndependentHamrin Cabinet
L
9
Ivar Vennerström
Ivar Vennerström
(1881–1945)
4 September 193219 June 19363 years, 269 daysSocial DemocratsHansson I Cabinet
S/SAP
10
Janne Nilsson
Janne Nilsson
(1882–1938)
19 June 19369 December 19382 years, 173 daysCentrePehrsson-Bramstorp Cabinet
C

Hansson II Cabinet
S/SAPC
11
Per Edvin Sköld
Per Edvin Sköld
(1891–1972)
16 December 193831 July 19456 years, 227 daysSocial DemocratsHansson II Cabinet
S/SAPC

Hansson III Cabinet
S/SAPCML
12
Allan Vougt
Allan Vougt
(1895–1953)
31 July 19451 October 19516 years, 62 daysSocial DemocratsHansson IV Cabinet
Erlander I Cabinet
S/SAP
13
Torsten Nilsson
Torsten Nilsson
(1905–1997)
1 October 195122 March 19575 years, 172 daysSocial DemocratsErlander II Cabinet
S/SAPC
14
Sven Andersson
Sven Andersson
(1910–1987)
22 March 195731 October 197316 years, 223 daysSocial DemocratsErlander II Cabinet
S/SAPC

Erlander III Cabinet
S/SAP

Palme I Cabinet
S/SAP
15
Eric Holmqvist
Eric Holmqvist
(1917–2009)
31 October 19738 October 19762 years, 343 daysSocial DemocratsPalme I Cabinet
S/SAP
16
Eric Krönmark
Eric Krönmark
(1931–2024)
8 October 197618 October 19782 years, 10 daysModerateFälldin I Cabinet
CML
17
Lars de Geer
Lars de Geer
(1922–2002)
18 October 197812 October 1979359 daysLiberalsUllsten Cabinet
L
(16)
Eric Krönmark
Eric Krönmark
(1931–2024)
12 October 19795 May 19811 year, 205 daysModerateFälldin II Cabinet
CML
Anders Dahlgren
Anders Dahlgren
(1925–1986)
Acting
5 May 198122 May 198117 daysCentreFälldin III Cabinet
CL
18
Torsten Gustafsson
Torsten Gustafsson
(1920–1994)
22 May 19818 October 19821 year, 139 daysCentreFälldin III Cabinet
CL
19
Börje Andersson
Börje Andersson
(1930–1994)
8 October 19821 December 198254 daysSocial DemocratsPalme II Cabinet
S/SAP
Curt Boström
Curt Boström
(1926–2014)
Acting
1 December 198217 January 198347 daysSocial DemocratsPalme II Cabinet
S/SAP
20
Anders Thunborg
Anders Thunborg
(1934–2004)
17 January 198314 October 19852 years, 270 daysSocial DemocratsPalme II Cabinet
S/SAP
21
Roine Carlsson
Roine Carlsson
(born 1937)
14 October 19854 October 19915 years, 355 daysSocial DemocratsPalme II Cabinet
Carlsson I Cabinet
Carlsson II Cabinet
S/SAP
22
Anders Björck
Anders Björck
(born 1944)
4 October 19917 October 19943 years, 3 daysModerateBildt Cabinet
MCLKD
23
Thage G. Peterson
Thage G. Peterson
(born 1933)
7 October 19941 February 19972 years, 117 daysSocial DemocratsCarlsson III Cabinet
S/SAP

Persson Cabinet
S/SAP
24
Björn von Sydow
Björn von Sydow
(born 1945)
1 February 199730 September 20025 years, 241 daysSocial DemocratsPersson Cabinet
S/SAP
Lena Hjelm-Wallén
Lena Hjelm-Wallén
(born 1943)
Acting
30 September 200222 October 200222 daysSocial DemocratsPersson Cabinet
S/SAP
Pär Nuder
Pär Nuder
(born 1963)
Acting
22 October 20024 November 200213 daysSocial DemocratsPersson Cabinet
S/SAP
25
Leni Björklund
Leni Björklund
(born 1944)
4 November 20026 October 20063 years, 336 daysSocial DemocratsPersson Cabinet
S/SAP
26
Mikael Odenberg
Mikael Odenberg
(born 1953)
6 October 20065 September 2007334 daysModerateReinfeldt Cabinet
MCLKD
27
Sten Tolgfors
Sten Tolgfors
(born 1966)
5 September 200729 March 20124 years, 206 daysModerateReinfeldt Cabinet
MCLKD
Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd
Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd
(born 1963)
Acting
29 March 201218 April 201220 daysModerateReinfeldt Cabinet
MCLKD
28
Karin Enström
Karin Enström
(born 1966)
18 April 20123 October 20142 years, 168 daysModerateReinfeldt Cabinet
MCLKD
29
Peter Hultqvist
Peter Hultqvist
(born 1958)
3 October 201418 October 20228 years, 15 daysSocial DemocratsLöfven I CabinetIIIII
S/SAPMP

Andersson Cabinet
S/SAP
30
Pål Jonson
Pål Jonson
(born 1972)
18 October 2022Incumbent1 year, 162 daysModerateKristersson Cabinet
MKDL

See also[edit]

External links[edit]