Anders Björck

Anders Björck
Minister for Defence
In office 1991–1994
Preceded by	Roine Carlsson
Succeeded by	Thage G. Peterson
Vice Speaker of the Riksdag
In office 1994–2002
Preceded by	Stig Alemyr
Succeeded by	Per Westerberg
Governor of Uppsala County
In office 2003–2009
Personal details
Born	19 September 1944 Nässjö, Jönköping County
Political party	Moderate Party
Residence	Stockholm
Occupation	Politician

Anders Per-Arne Björck (born 19 September 1944) is a Swedish politician who was Minister for Defence from 1991 to 1994 and Governor of Uppsala County from 2003 to 2009.^[1]

Björck was born in Nässjö and was interested in politics from an early stage. He was national chairman of the Moderate Youth League, or the Rightist Youth League (Högerns ungdomsförbund) as it was known at the time of his election. He was the first truly young - only 21 - chairman of the Youth League - his predecessor was 35 years old. Before that he served as national chairman of the Conservative School Youth, today known as the Moderate School Youth, from 1961 to 1963.

In 1968, aged only 22, he was elected to the Riksdag for the Rightist Party (Högerpartiet) which became the Moderate Party in 1969.

In 1989 he was elected president of the Council of Europe and served until 1991, when the Moderate Party won the election and Carl Bildt was allowed to form a government. He was appointed Minister for Defence. When the Moderates lost the 1994 election he became vice speaker of the Riksdag, a position he held until 2002.^[2]

Björck was known to belong to the so-called "Bunker gang", a group of politicians and advisors forming the inner circle around party leader Carl Bildt.

Between 2003 and 2009, Björck was Governor of Uppsala County.

Anders Björck has continued to speak up on political issues from time to time. He remains rather Conservative, compared to other Moderates, and has on numerous occasions spoken up against what he perceives as the growing influence of liberalism in the Moderate Party.

References

1. List of Governors of Uppsala County 1634-, accessed on 2010-05-07
2. Parliament of Sweden: Anders Björck, accessed on 2010-05-07 (Swedish)