Leif Pagrotsky

Leif Pagrotsky
Leif Pagrotsky at Stockholm Pride, 2011.
Born	(1951-10-20) 20 October 1951 Gothenburg, Sweden
Residence	Saltsjö-Boo, Nacka, Stockholm County, Sweden
Nationality	Swedish
Education	Bachelor of Arts, economics Master of Science, economics
Alma mater	Gothenburg University
Height	1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) (5'3")
Title	Minister of Trade Minister for Industry and Trade Minister for Education, Research and Culture
Term	1997 - 6 October 2006
Political party	Swedish Social Democratic Party

Leif Pagrotsky, born 20 October 1951 in Gothenburg, is a Swedish Social Democratic politician who had various posts in the government of Göran Persson between 1996 and 2006.

Biography

Pagrotsky has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science in economics from Gothenburg University.

Before joining the Cabinet, he held a number of key economic advisory positions and worked at the Central Bank of Sweden, the OECD and in the Ministry of Finance. He served as Director for Fiscal and Financial Affairs until 1987 when he was appointed Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister.

He has served on a number of boards, including the boards of the European Investment Bank and the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

He has been very open about his angina pectoris, a condition stemming from insufficient oxygen supply to the heart. He has had heart surgery twice and has shared his experience in order to increase awareness about this condition.^[1]

Pagrotsky is 1.61 meters (5'3'') but says he has never suffered from discrimination because of his height.^[2]

In the 22 April 2009 episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Pagrotsky is interviewed by reporter Wyatt Cenac on the subject of "Swedish socialism", as part of a satirical story on the impact that socialist reform has had on Swedish society. Pagrotsky is asked to apologize for "ushering in the socialism that tears at the souls of [his] countrymen", which Pagrotsky refuses to, defending the Swedish model by arguing that while Sweden has a big surplus in trade, the United States suffers from a deficit and has to borrow money from Sweden.

Political career

In 1997 Prime Minister Göran Persson made Pagrotsky Minister of Trade and, in 2002, Minister for Industry and Trade. He switched posts 1 November 2004 with former Minister of Education Thomas Östros. At the same time, the responsibility for cultural matters, previously belonging to a separate ministry, was added to Pagrotsky’s portfolio. One of his most publicly known activities during this period was his efforts to promote Swedish popular music export.^[3]

In May 2010 he became an adviser to George Papandreou's government during the Greek sovereign debt crisis.^[4]

In 2011 he became elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.^[5]

On 12 June 2013, King Carl XVI Gustaf awarded Pagrotsky H. M. The King's Medal (12th size, with the ribbon of the Royal Order of the Seraphim) "for many years of outstanding political achievement."^[6]

References

1. ↑ "Hjärta och Kärl — Leif Pagrotsky svarar [Heart and Vascular — Leif Pagrotsky answers]" (in Swedish). Karolinska University Hospital. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 
2. ↑ Melén, Johanna (26 February 2006). "Undantagen som bekräftar regeln [The exceptions to the rule]". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 5 February 2014. 
3. ↑ "Leif Pagrotsky är inte färdig än [Leif Pagrotsky is not done yet]" (in Swedish). Ny Tid Göteborgsområdet. 2012-08-13. Retrieved 18 February 2015. 
4. ↑ "Pagrotsky rådgivare åt Grekland [Pagrotsky advisor to Greece]" (in Swedish). Dagens Industri. 2010-05-02. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 
5. ↑ "Pagrotsky och Palm föreslås till VU [Pagrotsky and Palm nominated to the Executive Committee]" (in Swedish). Dagens Industri. 2011-03-20. Retrieved 19 February 2014. 
6. ↑ "The King awards medals". Swedish Royal Court. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 

External links

• Pagrotsky on the Swedish economy, in conversation with Big Think.