Maud Olofsson

Maud Olofsson
Minister for Enterprise and Energy
In office 6 October 2006 – 29 September 2011
Prime Minister	Fredrik Reinfeldt
Preceded by	Thomas Östros
Succeeded by	Annie Lööf
Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden
In office 6 October 2006 – 5 October 2010
Prime Minister	Fredrik Reinfeldt
Preceded by	Bosse Ringholm
Succeeded by	Jan Björklund
Chairperson of the Centre Party
In office 19 March 2001 – 23 September 2011
Preceded by	Lennart Daléus
Succeeded by	Annie Lööf
Personal details
Born	9 August 1955 Arnäs, Sweden
Political party	Centre Party
Spouse(s)	Rolf Olofsson
Religion	Christianity

Maud Elisabeth Olofsson (born Olsson, 9 August 1955) is a Swedish former politician who was leader of the Swedish Centre Party from 2001 to 2011, Minister for Enterprise and Energy from 2006 to 2011 and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden from 2006 to 2010. She was a member of the Riksdag from 2002 to 2011.

Olofsson announced her intent to step down as party leader on June 17, 2011 and was succeeded by Annie Lööf on September 23, 2011.

Biography

Maud Olofsson was born in Arnäsvall, and grew up in Högbyn, in Örnsköldsvik Municipality, Västernorrland. She started her political career as an ombudsman of the youth organisation of the Centre Party in 1974, and served as a member of the local council in Luleå from 1976. From 1978 to 1981 she held the same job with the party. From 1992 to 1994, during the Carl Bildt centre-right government, she worked as Special Adviser to Minister Börje Hörnlund at the Department of Labour. From 1996 she has been a member of the Centre Party board. From 1997 to 2001 she worked as Managing Director for the Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies (Hushållningssällskapet) in Västerbotten. She was elected Party Leader on 19 March 2001, succeeding Lennart Daléus.

Her political standpoint could be seen as a traditional Centre Party position, with an emphasis on rural Sweden and the survival of rural communities, combined with centre-right economic policies. It was however a remarkable new feature in the history of the Centre Party, when Maud Olofsson characterized her party's ideology as Social Liberalism. Although the Centre Party in history has sometimes cooperated with the governing Social Democrats, under Maud Olofsson the party opted for a clear oppositional role, strengthening its alliance with the Liberals, the Christian Democrats and the Moderate Party.

Following its victory in the elections in 2006, this alliance was able to form a new government under Fredrik Reinfeldt. Maud Olofsson was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Energy.

Maud Olofsson is married to Rolf, a relative of Jennifer Granholm (former Governor of Michigan) with whom she has three children.

Bibliography

• Rapport från kvinnoprojektet: Robertsfors kvinnor mot år 2000 (1992)
• Min dröm för Sverige (2006)
• Ett land av friherrinnor : mina rötter, värderingar och drömmar för Sverige (2010)
• Jag är den jag är (2014)

References

External links

• Centre Party
• Swedish Parliament: Maud Olofsson