Talk:Göran Persson

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Changed place of birth in text and table from Sudermannia (historical region) to Södermanland County (modern administrative and political region). Since the historical regions were not in administrative use when Persson was born, this seems more appropriate to me. Alarm 10:54, 2 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] The "small municipality" of Katrineholm

I wonder about the wording. To non-Swedes, I believe Katrineholm would be a town, and for being a municipality, I question if Katrineholm's municipality is sufficiently small to be designated as "small". But, of course, it's not my cup of tea — I'm just curious.
--Ruhrjung 19:12, 2004 Nov 6 (UTC)

As I am a Swede, I might be able to resolve these issues. I agree Katrineholm Municipality isn't the smallest of Swedish municipalities (it has more inhabitants than average), so maybe the wording should be changed. Katrineholm is the town where the municipal offices of Katrineholm Municipality are located, but towns are parts of, not equal to, municipalities in Sweden. Thus, Katrineholm is a town in Katrineholm Municipality, not a town surrounded by Katrineholm Municipality. 130.238.5.5 21:56, 24 Jan 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Too much focus on one single scandale

I removed the following paragraph which constituted somewhere far too close to a third of the text, which didn't make the article particularly balanced. There must be more relevant things to write about Persson.

On the 5th of February 2005 Persson was admitted to the degree of Honorary Doctor of medicine at his youths Örebro University. Örebro University has been openly criticized for this from both voices within the parliament and its own faculty. The critics focus mainly on that no faculty at Örebro University was willing to admit Persson to the title of honorary doctor. However, this did not stop the universities board of directors, who promptly admitted Persson to the faculty of medicine, which at the time had no employees that could protest Persson's scarce academic record. Subsequently an investigation has been launched in order to investigate whether Person's Doctorate could be construed as a bribe from the University board of directors. The motive is said to stem from Persson's efforts in persuading the parliament in 1999 to go against the recommendations of Sweden's council for higher education and award the, at the time Örebro college, university status.

--Ruhrjung 00:12, Feb 9, 2005 (UTC)

Personally, I would include it if it's a significant thing, even if the article is inadequate in other respects. Everyking 01:44, 9 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I would say this information is quite irrelevant - the small controversy over this matter is not something that is even mentioned in the much longer article at the swedish wiki article. If you would ask a swede to mention something controversial about G.P. I do not think he would bring up this, but more likely older matters, as when Göran Persson talked about the "stability of China" (controversial because of China's lack of denocracy) or when he bought a "country estate" (controversial since he is a social democrat). 213.66.231.98 19:32, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] About the nickname HSB

Somebody should elaborate on "HSB", since the nickname is virtually impossible to understand for non-swedes who isn't aware about the large housing company...

[edit] About the scandals

The Göran Persson cabinet has been subject to much debate, mr Persson has been interrogated in KU (constitutional court), something very unusual for Swedish primeministers. Recently he lost his minister of foreign affairs, since it became evident that she had violated the freedom of press act. He is constantly accused of concentrating power around his own person and in a goal-oriented manner weeding out political rivals within "the Party". The election authority has proved that the Social Democratic party mass-voted with collected voting cards in the last election and the vice primeminister silenced criticism WITHIN the party. There has been a prolonged debate about the handling of the Tsunami disaster with lies and irregularities from the ministers, there is the defamation campaign towards the opposition leader, the attack on the only major free Swedish TV-channel, TV4 etc. Neither of it will paint a positive image of Göran Persson, I know that, but still, if it is what people in Sweden face everyday, shouldn't we mention at least SOME of it on the wiki-page? Since when was the wiki-servers shipped to China? I thought they were still in the land of the free and brave or whatever some may claim to be. To only talk about scandals would be biast, I am aware of that, but to not mention any of them, just the positive stuff, is that really a true and balanced picture? (matal)

Go ahead and edit the article! Just make sure you source everything and clearly attribute any opinions or interpretations you include. Almost all public cabinet and parliament documents and more than enough newspaper articles are online, so it shouldn't be difficult. up+land 13:10, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] corruption and powerhunger

There is many more scandals thruout the party and out towards the community. So many I can not even remember them all. It clearly shows just what kind of people that is leading the party that has been governing Sweden for so long are all about. Of course it's my opinion but I find it a serious miss to have all the scandals associated with the Mr. Persson rather then with the party itself. Clearly it is more people than him that is corrupted and it's tentacles reaches every corner of Sweden's institutes as their loyality is towards the party rather than the citizens becomes obvious if you scrutinize the situations of the scandals and their daily work.

Hence I say let's put it at the party's page like their is with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_Democrats#Controversy_surrounding_the_Sweden_Democrats to conform with a standarisation of layout and design of pages.

[edit] Questionable pictures

How is the military draft picture and the satire picture relevant to this article? Also there seems to be a lot of POV in the article text.

Moment of clarity 23:55, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Political career

This section contains a lot that doesn't really concern the career of Göran Persson himself, but is rather some kind of discourse about the political climate, for example By this time however, the opposition Moderate Party had reinvigorated by appointing Fredrik Reinfeldt as leader. They spent 2004 moving toward the political centre ground, and by December it had been rewarded with a steady lead in the opinion polls. Reinfeldt had toned down promises of large-scale tax cuts, instead insisting that a nonsocialist government would better run public services such as health and education. (That by the way isn't really correct. I think the "blue" political block, where Fredrik Reinfelds party is one of 4 parties, had a slight lead for some time, though at the moment I'm quite sure that it is the "red" block which has a little lead.) I'm leaving everything as it is for now, as there is too much for me to change everything now. --213.65.178.172 23:12, 16 July 2006 (UTC)

I moved out the following from "political career": By this time however, the opposition Moderate Party had reinvigorated by appointing Fredrik Reinfeldt as leader. They spent 2004 moving toward the political centre ground, and by December it had been rewarded with a steady lead in the opinion polls. Reinfeldt had toned down promises of large-scale tax cuts, instead insisting that a nonsocialist government would better run public services such as health and education., since I don't think it belongs in "The political career of Göran Persson". Maybe something like this belongs under the article on the current election. Though as said above, the Moderate party has never been in lead, though the difference between the blocks has usually been some single per cents in most opinion polls, sometimes with one block on top, sometimes the other. 213.65.178.19 22:30, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Merge with Scandals shaking the Swedish Social Democratic government

The Scandals shaking the Swedish Social Democratic government should definitely be merged into Goran Persson's. By it's very nature an entire article devoted to one party's failings is NPOV, unless something like Watergate, which has historic value as a separate subject. One was to gauge of what lasting note this subject is is to watch how much attention this article gets following the Swedish elections next month. I guarantee you: None, especially if the Moderaterna and co. win.

Gerrynobody 11:45, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

I disagree... There needs to be added more scandals and the page merge with the Social Democratic page rather then Persson's page. Lord Metroid 22:56, 27 September 2006 (CET)
I would prefer creating an article for Persson's cabinet, much like Blair Ministry, and merging these scandals into it, as they concern the cabinet rather than Persson's person. That way, we can have organizational and personal matters as well as the cabinet's accomplishments, shortcomings and scandals in one article. This (separate articles for past cabinets) would also better solve the goal of what is presently at History of Government Offices of Sweden. It's also what they have at the Swedish WP, see sv:Kategori:Sveriges ministärer. -- Jao 16:10, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
New list: List of Swedish ministries. Suggested article: Persson Ministry or Göran Persson Ministry. --Oden 13:38, 6 October 2006 (UTC)
Update: the appropriate title for a article on Perssons cabinet would be Cabinet of Göran Persson, which preceeds the Cabinet of Fredrik Reinfeldt. --Oden 09:49, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Resignation

We haven't had 6 October yet so we can't say his term ended then. Things don't happen until they happen. Adam 03:18, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

It's Sweden :) Things said to heppen, will happen... →AzaToth 08:06, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
Even if it's in the future, it's 100% certain that his term will end that day, can add a future warning thou :) →AzaToth 08:36, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Please stop being silly. You cannot pretend to know what will happen in the future. I will continue revert "prophetic edits." Adam 08:38, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Memo: the Prime Minister retains office until the Riksdag chooses a successor (read the Swedish constitution here). All edits suggesting otherwise will be reverted. Adam 10:02, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

You are incorrect. The Swedish "talman" has granted Göran Persson's request to be dismissed as the PM of Sweden. See http://www.riksdagen.se/.

Yes, and then he will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until the Riksdag meets and elects a successor. If he had absolutely insisted on resigning on the spot (which would be very improper behaviour and highly unlikely), his deputy would have been sworn in as Prime Minister ad interim. Adam 23:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

What is actually happening:

On Monday and Tuesday, Speaker Björn von Sydow held meetings with representatives of all Riksdag parties and subsequently conferred with the Deputy Speakers. After this the Speaker had a second meeting with the chairman of the Moderate Party, Fredrik Reinfeldt, around 3.15 pm. During their conversation the Speaker asked Fredrik Reinfeldt to prepare the formation of a four-party government based on the Moderate Party, the Centre Party, the Liberal Party and the Christian Democrats. Tomorrow Wednesday at 5.15 pm, the Speaker will inform Crown Princess Victoria, the regent ad interim (acting Head of State). Fredrik Reinfeldt will report on the progress of his preparations during Thursday, when the final results of the election will have been determined. If the final distribution of seats changes the preconditions for forming a four-party government, the Speaker will begin new deliberations with the party leaders. (from the Riksdag website)
Göran Persson resigned at the same moment as Fredrik Reinfeldt was elected new PM. However, Mr Persson will still lead the caretaker government until a new cabinet has been formed on October 6. To say that Göran Persson is still PM until the new cabinet is formed is not correct. Camptown 20:21, 5 October 2006 (UTC)
He also announced his resignation from the leading post of the party. However he will be replaced at the annual meeting in mars. Lord Metroid 18:55, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Sentence needs updating

"Persson has been in office for more than ten years, and is about to become the second-longest continuously-governing prime minister of Sweden, exceeded only by Tage Erlander." Well, the first part would be simple to update, but I don't know if he ever actually did become the second-longest serving. Everyking 07:38, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Taking a stance for animals

Why was the chunk of text about Persson's stand on animals(that took me nearly an hour to write) erased? It had full referance and all. --83.248.190.175 21:01, 1 July 2007 (UTC)