Robert Themptander

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Robert Themptander
4th Prime Minister of Sweden
In office May 16, 1884 – February 6, 1888
Preceded by	Carl Johan Thyselius
Succeeded by	Gillis Bildt
Born	Stockholm, Stockholms District
Died	January 30, 1897 (aged 52) Stockholm, Stockholms District
Political party	Independent liberal

Robert Themptander (February 14, 1844–January 30, 1897) was a politician, public official, Finance Minister, Prime Minister of Sweden from 1884 to 1888, during the reign of King Oscar II, and Governor of Stockholm District from 1888 to 1896.

Married in 1874 with Frida Dahlberg, with whom he had three children.

[edit] Biography

Robert Themptander was born in Stockholm, the son of lieutenant Nils Themptander and Adolphina Laurent. After law studies in Uppsala and a highly successful career in the civil service he became in 1879 a member of the second chamber where from the start he was near the center of the loyal government, but afterward he approached the agrarian party. In the government of Arvid Posse in 1880, he became minister without portfolio and, in 1881 Minister of Finance, which he was for three years before he became Prime Minister at the age of 40. Only Louis De Geer had become Prime Minister at a younger age.

Through good contacts in different parliamentary positions he was successful in breaking the deadlock which the defense question got into and put in place the defense decisions of 1885. He was less successful in his striving to protect the free trade system which Louis De Geer and Minister of Finance Gripenstedt imported and which accelerated the modernising of Sweden. As food prices on the world markets sank because of increased imports from all of North America, demand increased for high duties to protect Swedish interests.

Eventually Themptander was constrained to retire, yet not through defeat in the 1887 election, when his resistance towards the new duty-friendly winds of opinion meant more election debate than before. Candidates for the Riksdag were compelled to answer about which views they had, if they were friends of free trade or friends of duties. This was seen by many as common. Lifelong members of the Riksdag had previously been elected on the basis of their high personal reputation and confidence. The free market supporters won in Stockholm and took home twenty-two parliamentary seats. But it appeared that one member had not paid taxes and therefore the whole list was declared invalid. Lifelong members of the Riksdag who were friendly to free markets were replaced with those in favor of tolls and the second chamber thereby received a protectionist majority.

Themptander attempted to have King Oscar II announce a new election, but the King denied the request. Then Themptander retired. From 1888-1896 he was Governor in the Stockholm District and afterwards director for Trafik AB Grängesberg–Oxelösundää.

Robert Themptander died January 30, 1897 in Stockholm.

[edit] References

This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Swedish-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of November 11, 2005.

• T. Nevéus, Ett betryggande försvar [A Reassuring Defense] (1965)