Anna-Greta Leijon

Anna-Greta Leijon

Anna-Greta Leijon in 2012.
Minister for Justice
In office
19 October 1987  7 June 1988
Preceded by Sten Wickbom
Succeeded by Thage G. Peterson
Minister for Employment
In office
8 October 1982  19 October 1987
Preceded by Ingemar Eliasson
Succeeded by Ingela Thalén
Minister for Justice
In office
11 November 1983  15 November 1983
Preceded by Ove Rainer
Succeeded by Sten Wickbom
Minister for Immigration and for Gender Equality
Deputy Minister for Employment
In office
1973–1976
Preceded by Camilla Odhnoff
Succeeded by Eva Winther (from 1978)
Personal details
Born Anna Margareta Maria Lejon
(1939-06-30) 30 June 1939
Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality Swedish
Political party Social Democrats
Spouse(s) Leif Backéus (1975-)
Domestic partner Anders Leion (1964-70)
Children Britta, Svante
Alma mater Uppsala University

Anna-Greta Leijon (born Anna Margareta Maria Lejon, 30 June 1939[1]) is a former Swedish social democratic politician.[2]

Political career

Leijon was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She was employed at the Swedish Labour Market Administration (Arbetsmarknadsstyrelsen) in 1964 and became agency director there in 1970. Leijon was minister without portfolio from 1973 to 1976 and member of the Riksdag (s) from 1974 to 1990 (vice chairman of the Committee on the Labour Market from 1979 to 1982).[3] She was a member of the Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party Board from 1981, Minister for Employment from 1982 to 1987, for Gender Equality in 1986 and Minister for Justice from 1987 to 1988[3] when she was forced to step down due to the Ebbe Carlsson affair.[4] Leijon was chairman of the Committee on Finance from 1988 to 1990.[3]

Kidnapping plans

Following the 1975 West German Embassy siege in Stockholm, the German Red Army Faction (RAF) terrorist Norbert Kröcher allegedly planned to kidnap Anna-Greta Leijon. The goal was to exchange Leijon for 8 of his comrades held in German prisons.[5] The plan, known as Operation Leo, was intercepted by the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) and Kröcher was arrested on 31 March in Stockholm. He was deported from Sweden in 1977 and jailed in Germany. He was released in 1989 and did not rejoin the RAF. Leijon was chosen as the kidnapping victim because she had the responsibility for the terrorist legislation and was ultimately responsible for the expulsion of the RAF terrorists who carried out the embassy siege.[6]

Other work

She became the president of International Labour Organization in 1984 and she has been chairman of Social Science Research Council (Socialvetenskapliga forskningsrådet).[3]

Later career

After her time as politician Anna-Greta Leijon had several public assignments, including as chairman of the Sveriges Television (SVT) from 1995 to 2005. In 1995, she succeeded Hans Alfredson as head of Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm, an assignment that she held until 31 August 2005, when she was replaced by John Brattmyhr.[7] Leijon was chairman of Moderna Museet from 1999 to 2008.

Personal life

From 1964 to 1970, she was partner of Anders Leion (born 1939). In 1975, she married the civil engineer Leif Backéus (born 1934).[3] She is the mother of Britta Lejon, the former Minister for Democratic Issues in Sweden. Anna-Greta Leijon, her former partner Anders Leion and the daughter Britta Lejon all spell their surnames differently.[8]

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. Szabad, Carl, ed. (2003). Sveriges befolkning 1970 (CD-ROM) (in Swedish) (Version 1.04 ed.). Stockholm: Sveriges släktforskarförb. ISBN 91-87676-31-1.
  2. "Anna-Greta Leijon". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Uddling, Hans; Paabo, Katrin, eds. (1992). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1993 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1993] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 643. ISBN 91-1-914072-X.
  4. Hansson, Kristofer (23 December 2007). "Ebbe Carlsson-affären" [Ebbe Carlsson affair] (MP3). P3 Dokumentär (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio P3. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  5. Lauterpacht, Elihu (1982). International Law Reports. Cambridge University Press. p. 279.
  6. Johnsson, Fredrik (29 April 2012). "Operation Leo" (MP3). P3 Dokumentär (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio P3. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  7. Gyllenberg, Eva-Karin (29 July 2007). "Leijon på Skansen snart ett minne blott" [Leijon at Skansen soon just a memory]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  8. Crofts, Maria (7 October 1998). "Nya ministern – visst är hon lik sin mamma" [The new minister - doesn't she looks like her mother]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 May 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anna-Greta Leijon.
Political offices
Preceded by
Camilla Odhnoff
Minister for Immigration and for Gender Equality
Deputy Minister for Employment

1973 – 1976
Succeeded by
Eva Winther
(from 1978)
Preceded by
Ingemar Eliasson
Minister for Employment
1982 – 1987
Succeeded by
Ingela Thalén
Preceded by
Sten Wickbom
Minister for Justice
1987 – 1988
Succeeded by
Thage G. Peterson
Preceded by
Arne Gadd
Chairman of Committee on Finance
1988 – 1990
Succeeded by
Hans Gustafsson
Other offices
Preceded by
Hans Alfredson
Head of Skansen
1995–2005
Succeeded by
John Brattmyhr
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