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Margot Wallström

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Margot Wallström
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 October 2014
Prime MinisterStefan Löfven
Preceded byCarl Bildt
European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy
In office
22 November 2004 – 9 February 2010
PresidentJosé Manuel Barroso
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMaroš Šefčovič (Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration)
First Vice President of the European Commission
In office
22 November 2004 – 9 February 2010
PresidentJosé Manuel Barroso
Preceded byLoyola de Palacio
Succeeded byCatherine Ashton
European Commissioner for the Environment
In office
13 September 1999 – 11 November 2004
PresidentRomano Prodi
Preceded byRitt Bjerregaard
Succeeded byStavros Dimas
Personal details
Born (1954-09-28) 28 September 1954 (age 70)
Skellefteå, Sweden
Political partySocial Democrats
Signature

Margot Elisabeth Wallström (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈmaɾːɡɔt ˈvalːstɾœm]) (born 28 September 1954)[1] is a Swedish politician of the Social Democrats and diplomat. She has been the Minister for Foreign Affairs since 3 October 2014.

Wallström previously served as European Commissioner for the Environment from 1999 to 2004 and as European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy from 2004 to 2009. She was also the first of five vice-presidents of the 27-member Barroso Commission and worked as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict.[2]

Political career

Born in Skellefteå, Wallström is a high school graduate without academic degrees,[3] and has had a long career in politics in the Swedish parliament, the Swedish government, and the European Commission. She was Environment Commissioner from 1999–2004 and in the Swedish government she was Minister for Consumer Affairs, Women and Youth in 1988–1991, Minister for Culture in 1994–1996 and Minister for Social Affairs in 1996–1998. Wallström has also worked as the CEO of a regional TV network in Sweden and before taking up her appointment as Commissioner she was the executive vice-president of Worldview Global Media in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Wallström is married and has two children.

In 2004, Wallström became the first member of the European Commission to operate a blog. The comments section of her site quickly became a hotspot for arguments concerning the policies of the European Union. After the rejection of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe by French and Dutch voters, Wallström pushed forward her "plan D" (for democracy, dialogue and debate) to reconnect Citizens with the Union.[4] Her work on such platforms, including the backing of the oneseat.eu petition, has given her a good reputation in some quarters, even being dubbed "the Citizens Commissioner"[5] – but has earned her names like "the Propaganda Commissioner" as well from political opponents. The Economist listed her among the least effective commissioners in 2009.[6]

Recent events

Following the 2006 election, in which the Social Democratic Party lost power, former Prime Minister Göran Persson announced his withdrawal from politics in March 2007. Wallström was regarded as the favourite candidate to succeed Persson as Social Democratic party leader,[7] but made clear that she did not wish to be considered for the position.[8][9] The post instead went to Mona Sahlin.

Immediately after the election of Mona Sahlin as party leader, Wallström accepted a membership in a group working to develop political strategies for the upcoming election to the European Parliament. The membership in this group was considered by Swedish liberal Carl B Hamilton (and later also Fredrik Reinfeldt) to constitute a breach of the oath every member of the European Commission gives, which states that any member of the commission should work for the community's best interest with no influence from politicians. On 19 March, the vice chief spokesman of the European Commission, Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen, stated that her new assignment was not in conflict with her commissioner position. The chief spokesman, Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, agreed.[10][11]

In December 2006, Wallström was voted the most popular woman in Sweden, beating royals and athletes in a survey carried out by ICA-kuriren and Sifo. The previous year, 2005, she was second place. Wallström was modest in response stating that "it might be because I'm so far away".[12]

On 16 November 2007, Margot Wallström, became Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders Ministerial Initiative. This position was previously held by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.

On 31 January 2010, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, announced at the African Union summit in Ethiopia his intention to nominate Wallström as his first ever Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.[13] As a reaction, Wallström said that she felt "honoured" and "humble" to have been chosen for the job,[14] which she started in April 2010.

On 18 September 2010, Wallström confirmed that when her assignment with the UN ends, in February 2012, she would become the chair of the University Board at Lund University in Sweden.[15]

On 3 October 2014, when the Social Democratic leader Stefan Löfven became Prime Minister, Wallström was appointed to the Swedish government as Minister of Foreign Affairs.[16]

On 30 October 2014, Wallström was the first EU foreign minister to recognise the State of Palestine, in view to "facilitate a peace agreement by making the parties less unequal",[17] resulting in that Israel the very same day recalled its ambassador for consultations.[18]

Women's Rights

Wallström "promised a 'feminist' foreign policy when her Social Democrats formed the coalition government" in October 2014.[19] As such, she criticized the subjugation of women in Saudi Arabia, "whose religious hardliners insist Islam prohibits women from driving." [20] Sweden cancelled its arms-export deal with Saudi Arabia after Wallström declared it unethical due to the abuses to women's rights in Saudi Arabia.[21][clarification needed] Saudi Arabia retaliated by stopping visa issues for Swedish businesspeople, blocking Wallström from speaking at an Arab League meeting, and temporarily withdrawing their ambassador from Sweden.[22][23]

Curriculum vitae

As of 2007[24]

Political career:

Employment:

  • 1998–1999 Executive Vice-president, Worldview Global Media, Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • 1993–1994 CEO, TV Värmland (Regional Television Network)
  • 1986–1987 Accountant, Alfa Savings bank, Karlstad
  • 1977–1979 Bank Clerk, Alfa Savings Bank, Karlstad

Education and other:

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Margot Wallström.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Address of Margot Wallström to the European Parliament conference on the Northern dimension europa.eu
  2. ^ "Stop Rape Now - Features". Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  3. ^ "The Commissioners" (PDF). Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. ^ Will Wallström's 'plan D' revive the European dream? EurActiv.com
  5. ^ The European Parliament should work in Brussels Campaign for Parliament Reform 2006-09-18, Folkpartiet. Accessed 2007-07-18
  6. ^ "A commission report-card An end-of-term assessment of the Brussels team of commissioners". The Economist. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Nyheter - DN.SE". DN.SE. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  8. ^ No to leadership, DN (Swedish)
  9. ^ Wallström: I don't want the job (The Local) (English)
  10. ^ Wallström not breaking rules (English)
  11. ^ Klartecken för Wallströms s-uppdrag (Swedish)
  12. ^ Sweden loves Reinfeldt and Wallström (The Local) (English)
  13. ^ "Secretary-General Pledges United Nations Full Support 'to Build Peace and Prosperity for All Africans', in Remarks to African Union Summit". Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  14. ^ Delegation of the European Union to the United States (31 January 2010). "Statement by Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President of the European Commission". Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Wallström leder Lunds universitet". DN.SE. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  16. ^ "24 ministrar i den nya regeringen". SvD.se. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  17. ^ Margot Wallström. ""Sweden today decides to recognise the State of Palestine"". Dagens Nyheter. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  18. ^ Israel recalls ambassador to Stockholm after Swedens decision to recognize Palestinian state, Jerusalem Post 30 October 2014
  19. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/margot-wallstrm-can-swedens-feminist-foreign-minister-be-both-radical-and-influential--and-make-the-country-a-moral-great-power-10112015.html Margot Wallström: Can Sweden’s feminist foreign minister be both radical and influential - and make the country a 'moral great power'?
  20. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/03/11/world/europe/ap-eu-sweden-saudi-arabia.html Saudi Arabia Recalls Ambassador From Sweden as Rift Widens
  21. ^ http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21647357-who-could-take-offence-over-speech-womens-rights-arab-league-clean-hands-fewer-friends Sweden and the Middle East: Clean hands, fewer friends
  22. ^ David Crouch. "Swedish frustration with Saudis over speech may jeopardise arms agreement". the Guardian. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  23. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/27/us-saudi-sweden-idUSKBN0MN2H220150327 Saudi Arabia decides to restore ambassador to Sweden: Al Arabiya TV
  24. ^ Wallström's CV ec.europa.eu
  25. ^ Al Gore and the hot issues Wallström's blog
  26. ^ Swedish: “Folkens Europa eller Varför är det så svårt att älska EU?” – ISBN 91-89660-54-4
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Civil Affairs
1988–1991 		Post discountinued
Preceded by Minister for Culture
1994–1996 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Social Affairs
1996–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Swedish European Commissioner
1999–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by European Commissioner for the Environment
1999–2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by First Vice President of the European Commission
2004–2009 		Succeeded by
New office European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy
2004–2009 		Succeeded byas European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration
Preceded by Minister for Foreign Affairs
2014–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byas The Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden and
The Minister for Environment 		Swedish order of precedence Succeeded byas The Minister for Strategy, Future Issues and Nordic cooperation

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