103-545: Sven Olof Joachim Palme ( / ˈ p ɑː l m ə / ; Swedish: [ˈûːlɔf ˈpâlːmɛ] ; 30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and 1982 to 1986. Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until his assassination in 1986. A longtime protégé of Prime Minister Tage Erlander , he became Prime Minister of Sweden in 1969, heading
206-817: A Privy Council Government . He left office after failing to form a government after the 1976 general election , which ended 40 years of unbroken rule by the Social Democratic Party. While Leader of the Opposition , he served as special mediator of the United Nations in the Iran–Iraq War , and was President of the Nordic Council in 1979. He faced a second defeat in 1979 , but he returned as prime minister after electoral victories in 1982 and 1985 , and served until his death. Palme
309-613: A Stockholm street on 28 February 1986 was the first murder of a national leader in Sweden since Gustav III in 1792, and had a great impact across Scandinavia . Local convict and addict Christer Pettersson was originally convicted of the murder in Stockholm District Court but was unanimously acquitted by the Svea Court of Appeal . On 10 June 2020, Swedish prosecutors held a press conference to announce that there
412-469: A person of interest , the police dismissed Engström as an unreliable witness and a publicity-seeker who was making a nuisance of himself. He no longer figured in the official investigation, which instead began to pursue a later-discredited lead about involvement by the Kurdistan Workers' Party . Engström had long been known to friends, colleagues, and family as an attention-seeking person with
515-541: A "particularly gruesome system". His 1972 condemnation of American bombings in Hanoi , comparing the bombings to a number of historical crimes including the bombing of Guernica , the massacres of Oradour-sur-glane , Babi Yar , Katyn , Lidice and Sharpeville and the extermination of Jews and other groups at Treblinka , resulted in a temporary freeze in Sweden–United States relations . Palme's assassination on
618-529: A cinema with his wife Lisbeth Palme in the central Stockholm street Sveavägen when he was shot in the back at close range. A second shot grazed Lisbeth's back. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Sabbatsberg Hospital at 00:06 CET . Lisbeth survived without serious injuries. Deputy Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson immediately assumed the duties of Prime Minister, a post he retained until 1991 (and then again in 1994–1996). He also took over
721-451: A feminist speech called "The Emancipation of Man" at a meeting of the Woman's National Democratic Club on 8 June 1970; this speech was later published in 1972. As a forerunner in green politics , Palme was a firm believer in nuclear power as a necessary form of energy, at least for a transitional period to curb the influence of fossil fuel . His intervention in Sweden's 1980 referendum on
824-464: A government and succeed Erlander as Prime Minister. Prior to the selection of Palme, President of Finland Urho Kekkonen asked Erlander who his successor would be, and Erlander gave evasive answers. Kekkonen then asked if it would be Palme, to which Erlander responded, "Never, he is far too intelligent for a Prime Minister". Palme was later asked when Erlander first hinted to him that he wanted him to succeed him. Palme stated, "It never happened." Palme
927-646: A group that became known as "the boys". From 1955 he was a board member of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League and lectured at the Youth League College Bommersvik . He also was a member of the Worker's Educational Association. In 1957 he was elected as a member of parliament (Swedish: riksdagsledamot ) represented Jönköping County in the directly elected Second Chamber ( Andra kammaren ) of
1030-446: A gun or why he would have carried it when he left his office that night, and presented no witness identifying Engström as the perpetrator. Although the prosecutor had claimed to have secured forensic evidence, he presented no such evidence at the press conference. It emerged that investigators had tracked down and test-fired a gun that had been owned by an acquaintance of Engström (a fact first revealed by author Thomas Pettersson), but
1133-432: A health care reform carried out in 1974 integrated all health services and increased the minimum replacement rate from 64% to 90% of earnings. In 1974, supplementary unemployment assistance was established, providing benefits to those workers ineligible for existing benefits. In 1971, eligibility for invalidity pensions was extended with greater opportunities for employees over the age of 60. In 1974, universal dental insurance
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#17327903328991236-585: A journalist for the communist magazine Proletären , depicted Engström as connected to a right-wing deep state intrigue against Palme. However, Minell argued that Engström might have been a part of the murder plot but did not believe that he was the actual shooter. The theory that Engström was Palme's lone assassin was first brought up in Lars Larsson's book Nationens Fiende ("Enemy of the Nation") in 2016. The allegation later reappeared in an article by
1339-548: A new Instrument of Government which de jure established the parliamentary system and created a cabinet government with constitutional powers not derived from the Crown. At the same time, it stripped the monarchy of even nominal political powers, making the cabinet the country's executive authority in both name and in fact. This codified a number of practices dating from the definitive establishment of parliamentary government in 1917. The Instrument of Government requires that
1442-504: A pair that described a man of uncertain appearance, in a dark coat and dark clothing, who was fidgeting with a small bag. Engström had clocked out of work and chatted with security guards at the main entrance to the Skandia Insurance Company no more than one or two minutes before the shooting. On leaving the building, he was wearing a dark coat, a cap that possibly had ear flaps, a colorful scarf, glasses and carried
1545-527: A quest for publicity by calling reporters and offering to tell his story already the day after the murder. He would appear in several Swedish media outlets to criticise the murder investigation and the Swedish police's lack of interest in his testimony. When investigators failed to invite Engström to the police reconstruction of the crime in April 1986, he contacted a television journalist and offered to dress up in
1648-414: A school closure with his local party association. Engström married in 1964 but later divorced. His second marriage lasted from 1968 to 1999. In June 2000, Engström died in his home at the age of 66. Engström was one of 20 people present at the scene when Swedish Prime Minister Palme was fatally shot with a .357 magnum revolver in central Stockholm on the evening of 28 February 1986. Witness testimony
1751-418: A small bag. Some twenty minutes later, he returned to the building to tell the guards that Palme had been shot just forty metres from the lobby entrance. He is then believed to have gone home. Police had failed to hold and question several key witnesses on the night of the murder, and some of them reported to authorities only after national television and radio had broadcast a police request for information on
1854-725: A small liberal arts school in central Ohio from 1947 to 1948, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Inspired by radical debate in the student community, he wrote a critical essay on Friedrich Hayek 's The Road to Serfdom . Palme wrote his senior honour thesis on the United Auto Workers union, led at the time by Walter Reuther . After graduation, he traveled throughout the country and eventually ended up in Detroit , where his hero Reuther agreed to an interview which lasted several hours. In later years, Palme regularly remarked during his many subsequent American visits, that
1957-465: A social democrat to three major influences: In 1956, Palme married children's psychologist Lisbeth Beck-Friis , and together they had three sons: Joakim , Mårten , and Mattias Palme. Palme was an atheist . In 1953, Palme was recruited by social democratic prime minister Tage Erlander to work as his personal secretary, becoming the first of Erlander's large personal staff, a group of young aides such as Ingvar Carlsson and Bengt K. Å. Johansson ,
2060-619: A speech in Santiago praising contemporary Cuban revolutionaries . Frequently a critic of Soviet and American foreign policy, he expressed his resistance to imperialist ambitions and authoritarian regimes, including those of Francisco Franco of Spain, Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union , António de Oliveira Salazar of Portugal, Gustáv Husák of Czechoslovakia , and most notably John Vorster and P. W. Botha of South Africa, denouncing apartheid as
2163-419: A taste for drama, and he had appeared a few times in the Swedish media before the assassination. In 1982, he was interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet about gender after a questionnaire-based survey had identified him as highly " androgynous ". He stressed that he was a heterosexual and said that he considered himself to have both male and female personality traits. After the assassination, Engström embarked on
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#17327903328992266-563: A trial had the suspect been alive. The true identity of his assassin remains unknown. Sven Olof Joachim Palme was born on 30 January 1927 into an upper class, conservative Lutheran family in the Östermalm district of Stockholm . The progenitor of the Palme family was skipper Palme Lydert of Ystad of either Dutch or German ancestry. His sons adopted the surname Palme. Many of the early Palmes were vicars and judges in Scania . One branch of
2369-473: A vote of no confidence, except during the first three months after an election. The government offices, including the prime minister's office, are located at Rosenbad in central Stockholm , straight across the water from the Riksdag building on Helgeandsholmen . In 1991 Sager House (or the "Sager Palace" as it was previously called) was acquired, and since 1995 it has served as the private residence of
2472-490: Is Axel Oxenstierna , who played a pivotal role in the formation of the Swedish Empire . The office of Lord High Chancellor was commonly the closest role to a de jure head of government, and they had similar responsibilities to the modern Prime Minister during the so-called Age of Liberty ; no governmental offices were called Prime Minister at the time. At the adoption of the new Instrument of Government of 1809 ,
2575-468: Is a government meeting chaired by the king , currently Carl XVI Gustaf . During this meeting, the speaker gives an account of the nomination and election process. The King then announces that a change of government has taken place, finalising the appointment of the new prime minister and their government. The handover of the prime minister's commission has usually taken place in the Riksdag. In 2022 with
2678-579: Is the head of government of the Kingdom of Sweden . The prime minister and their cabinet (the government) exercise executive authority in the Kingdom of Sweden and are subject to the Parliament of Sweden . The prime minister is nominated by the speaker of the Riksdag and is elected by the chamber by simple majority, using negative parliamentarianism. The Riksdag holds elections every four years, in
2781-517: Is the nominal chief executive, but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the ministers. However, the so-called Torekov Compromise reached in 1971 by the major political parties, codified with the Instrument of Government that went into effect in 1975, stripped the Swedish monarch of even a nominal role in governmental affairs, thus codifying actual practices that had been in place since
2884-523: Is the subject of annual review by the Statsrådsarvodesnämnden 'Cabinet Ministers' Salary Committee' of the Riksdag . Since 1 January 2022 the prime minister's monthly salary is 184,000 SEK . Stig Engstr%C3%B6m (suspected murderer) Stig Folke Wilhelm Engström (26 February 1934 – 26 June 2000) was a Swedish graphic designer . Long treated by police as an eyewitness to the assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme , Engström
2987-645: The Riksdag . In the early 1960s Palme became a member of the Agency for International Assistance (NIB) and was in charge of inquiries into assistance to the developing countries and educational aid. In 1963, he became a member of the Cabinet as minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, and retained his duties as a close political adviser to Prime Minister Tage Erlander . In 1965, he became Minister of Communications . One issue of special interest to him
3090-484: The Sager House and Harpsund . Historically, the monarchy of Sweden served as both head of state and head of government. Examples like Kings Gustav I , Charles XI , and Gustav III showcase how the Swedish government was structured around the monarchy. However, many of these kings had powerful domestic advisors who sometimes took on the role of de facto head of government; the most prominent of these examples
3193-791: The Skandia building next to the crime scene, and police investigation number ("H" representing the eighth letter, i.e. "Suspect Profile No. 8"), took their own lives in 2000 and 2008 respectively. Both fitted the suspect profile vaguely, and owned firearms. GH was a long-time suspect partly because he had self-described financial motives, and owned the only registered .357 Magnum in the Stockholm vicinity not tested and ruled out by authorities, which as yet has not been recovered. On 18 March 2020, Swedish investigators met in Pretoria with members of South African intelligence agencies to discuss
Olof Palme - Misplaced Pages Continue
3296-655: The Swedish Bar Association , stated that a commission should be established to investigate Petersson's accusations since Engström, being dead, could not mount his own defense . According to a public opinion poll commissioned by Svenska Dagbladet , 19% of the Swedes believed that Engström murdered Palme, but 62% stated that they were hesitant or did not know. Petersson responded to his critics in Expressen : "We have done our best, and, according to us,
3399-556: The Swedish Committee for Vietnam and Palme and Nguyen were both invited as speakers. As a result of this, the U.S. recalled its Ambassador from Sweden and Palme was fiercely criticised by the opposition for his participation in the protest. When party leader Tage Erlander stepped down in 1969, Palme was elected as the new leader by the Social Democratic party congress and asked by king Gustaf VI Adolf to form
3502-627: The Swedish National Union of Students . In 1951, he became a member of the social democratic student association in Stockholm, although it is asserted he did not attend their political meetings at the time. The following year he was elected President of the Swedish National Union of Students. As a student politician he concentrated on international affairs and travelled across Europe. Palme attributed his becoming
3605-625: The United States had made him a socialist, a remark that often has caused confusion. Within the context of his American experience, it was not that Palme was repelled by what he found in America, but rather that he was inspired by it. After hitchhiking through the U.S. and Mexico , he returned to Sweden to study law at Stockholm University . In 1949 he became a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party . During his time at university, Palme became involved in student politics, working with
3708-541: The Vietnam War (including use of Agent Orange and other rainbow herbicides to deforst whole areas of the country) as ecocide and called for it to become an international crime. On 23 December 1972, Palme (then Prime Minister) made a speech on Swedish national radio where he compared the ongoing U.S. bombings of Hanoi to historical atrocities, namely the bombing of Guernica , the massacres of Oradour-sur-Glane , Babi Yar , Katyn , Lidice and Sharpeville , and
3811-410: The extermination of Jews and other groups at Treblinka . The US government called the comparison a "gross insult" and once again decided to freeze its diplomatic relations with Sweden (this time the freeze lasted for over a year). Political violence was little-known in Sweden at the time, and Olof Palme often went about without a bodyguard. Close to midnight on 28 February 1986, he was walking home from
3914-670: The occupation of the Student Union Building in Stockholm; Palme came there and tried to comfort the students, urging them to use democratic methods for the pursuit of their cause. On 21 February 1968, Palme participated in a protest in Stockholm against U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam together with the North Vietnamese ambassador to the Soviet Union, Nguyễn Thọ Chân . The protest was organized by
4017-558: The 1980s, in particular, owing to reports of incursions by Soviet submarines into Swedish territorial waters . On the international scene, Palme was a widely recognised political figure because of his: All of this ensured that Palme had many opponents as well as many friends abroad. In June 1972 at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment he described the environmental damage caused by
4120-495: The Engström theory retorted that Mårten had previously identified Christer Pettersson as that man, and Pettersson and Engström bore little resemblance to each other. In a separate 2018 interview, another witness, Lars J, who saw the murderer escape, said that it was quite possible that Engström was the man he saw running from the scene of the crime; however, he had not seen the man's face. Larsson's book drew little attention at
4223-606: The Knieriem family who originated from Quedlinburg , descended from Baltic German burghers and clergy and had arrived in Sweden from Russia as a refugee in 1915. Elisabeth's great-great-great grandfather Johann Melchior von Knieriem (1758–1817) had been ennobled by the Emperor Alexander I of Russia in 1814. The von Knieriem family does not count as members of any of the Baltic knighthoods . Palme's father died when he
Olof Palme - Misplaced Pages Continue
4326-622: The Liberal-Conservative blocs got 175 places each in the Riksdag . The Palme cabinet continued to govern the country but several times they had to draw lots to decide on some issues, although most important issues were decided through concessional agreement. Tax rates also rose from being fairly low even by Western European standards to the highest levels in the Western world. Under Palme's premiership tenure, matters concerned with child care centers, social security , protection of
4429-456: The appointment of Ulf Kristersson, however, speaker Andreas Norlen handed it over during the meeting of the Council of State. Whenever a prime minister resigns, dies, or is forced from office by the Riksdag , the speaker of the Riksdag asks the prime minister (or their deputy) to keep the government as a caretaker government until the new government takes office. With the exception of
4532-683: The assassination and was later identified as a potential suspect by Swedish writers Lars Larsson and Thomas Pettersson . Given that Engström had committed suicide in 2000, the authorities also announced that the investigation into Palme's death was to be closed. Some politicians and journalists in Turkey relate the assassination of Palme to PKK since he was the first in Europe to designate PKK as terrorist organisation. Prime Minister of Sweden The prime minister of Sweden ( Swedish : statsminister literally translates as "minister of state")
4635-410: The case on 10 June 2020. Earlier remarks by lead investigator Krister Petersson that "there might not be a prosecution" have led commentators to believe that the suspect is dead. On 10 June 2020, Swedish prosecutors stated publicly that they knew who had killed Palme and named Stig Engström , also known as "Skandia Man", as the assassin. Engström was one of about twenty people who had claimed to witness
4738-419: The case. The investigators' case rested on the fact that Engström was known to have been on or near the scene of the crime but had not been reliably identified as present after the shooting by any other witness, his own account of events was deemed unreliable and his clothing bore a resemblance to that of the murderer. Petersson offered no motive for the killing, did not explain how or why Engström had acquired
4841-476: The case. The South Africans handed over their file from 1986 to their Swedish colleagues. Göran Björkdahl , a Swedish diplomat, had done independent research on Palme's assassination. Major General Chris Thirion, who headed the military intelligence of South Africa during the final years of apartheid rule, had told Björkdahl in 2015 that he believed South Africa was behind Palme's murder. Swedish investigators announced that they would reveal new information and close
4944-445: The clothes that he had worn on the night of the murder and stage his own reconstruction. It was broadcast on Sveriges Television . Engström's final interview about the case was in 1992 for the magazine Skydd & Säkerhet . Once again, Engström had contacted a friend who worked as a journalist for the magazine. The failure to solve Palme's assassination and repeated revelations of police misconduct made alternative theories about
5047-459: The crime scene (Larsson) or straight to the Skandia building (Pettersson). By reporting himself to the police as a witness and approaching mass media with invented accounts based on elements gleaned from newspaper reporting, he aimed to muddle witness recollections and to confuse the police about his actual role. Both Larsson and Pettersson stressed that Engström had worn clothes that matched some of
5150-440: The definitive establishment of parliamentary government in 1917. To appoint a new prime minister, the speaker of the Riksdag holds consultations with party leaders to propose a candidate to be submitted for approval to the Riksdag . The speaker's proposed candidate is then elected through negative parliamentarism. In practice, this means that the prime minister nominee is confirmed if fewer than 175 MPs vote 'no', regardless of
5253-429: The drive to expand labour union influence over business ownership, engendered a great deal of hostility from the organized business community. During the tenure of Palme, several major reforms in the Swedish constitution were carried out, such as orchestrating a switch from bicameralism to unicameralism in 1971 and in 1975 replacing the 1809 Instrument of Government (at the time the oldest political constitution in
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#17327903328995356-409: The elderly, accident safety, and housing problems received special attention. Under Palme the public health system in Sweden became efficient, with the infant mortality rate standing at 12 per 1,000 live births. An ambitious redistributive programme was carried out, with special help provided to the disabled , immigrants, the low paid, single-parent families, and the old. The Swedish welfare state
5459-431: The even year between leap years. As with several other similar offices in Europe, the office of Prime Minister came into existence in the nineteenth century as a result of Sweden's democratisation. Prior to the creation of the office, Sweden had no official head of government separate from the king; the country in periods was an absolute monarchy. However, several figures had formerly attained de facto status as leader of
5562-802: The family, of which Olof Palme was part, and which became more affluent, relocated to Kalmar ; that branch is related to several other prominent Swedish families such as the Kreugers, von Sydows and the Wallenbergs . His father, Gunnar Palme [ sv ] (1886–1934), was a businessman, son of Sven Theodore Palme [ sv ] (1854–1934) and Swedish-speaking Finnish Baroness Hanna Maria von Born-Sarvilahti [ fi ] (1861–1959). Through her, Olof Palme claimed ancestry from King Johan III of Sweden, his father King Gustav Vasa of Sweden and King Frederick I of Denmark and Norway . His mother, Elisabeth von Knieriem (1890–1972), of
5665-520: The future of nuclear power is often pinpointed by opponents of nuclear power as saving it. As of 2011, nuclear power remains one of the most important sources of clean energy in Sweden, much attributed to Palme's actions. Palme advocated for nuclear energy to move away from fossil fuels in his speech during the Stockholm Conference in 1972 Soviet–Swedish bilateral relations were tested during Palme's second span of time as prime minister in
5768-484: The government. Today, the prime minister holds the most influential political role in Sweden. Unlike most prime ministers in parliamentary systems, the prime minister is both de jure and de facto chief executive. This is because the Instrument of Government explicitly vests executive power in the government , of which the prime minister is the leader. The prime minister has two official residences; these are
5871-436: The idea that he could have been a murderer by arguing that he had no reason to kill Palme, had never owned a gun, had no known criminal or extremist connections and had no record of violence. Queried by investigators and by the press about the seeming discrepancies in Engström's witness testimony, they pointed to a history of attention-seeking, a taste for "drama", and a record of embellishing his own exploits to draw praise. "He
5974-561: The investigation's conclusion as "a total fiasco". Leif G. W. Persson , a long-time watcher of the Palme investigation and an influential pundit on criminal justice issues, ridiculed Petersson's investigation as a "colossal disappointment" and said the case was so poorly constructed that it might legally constitute defamation of Engström. Defamation against deceased persons is possible in Sweden, although rare. Engström's family and friends were similarly critical. Legal professionals, including
6077-598: The journalist Thomas Pettersson in the magazine Filter in 2018, and in his book Den osannolika mördaren ("The Unlikely Murderer"), which was published the same year. Pettersson's book also broached theories that Palme had been shot by Swedish intelligence or on orders of the CIA, but it ended up agreeing with Larsson's depiction of Engström as having randomly met and shot Palme outside his office building. According to Larsson and Pettersson's theories, which were developed separately but largely overlap, Engström had in fact arrived at
6180-415: The killing. Engström said he had not been interviewed by the police at the scene although he approached an officer to give his story. The day after Palme's murder, Engström called a police hotline and stated that he had walked out of the Skandia gate around the time of the shooting and come upon Palme's dead body moments later, as one of the first few witnesses on the scene. Over four police interrogations,
6283-461: The king still formally appointed the prime minister, in practice he was required to appoint the leader of the majority party in the Riksdag, or the leader of the senior partner in the majority coalition. While the provision in the Instrument of Government stating that "the King alone shall govern the realm" remained unchanged, it was now understood that the king was required to exercise his powers through
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#17327903328996386-558: The last of which was recorded, with the recording being released by court decision in January 2022, and in several media interviews, Engström maintained that he had participated in the rescue attempt in some fashion by helping to turn or reposition Palme's body. He said he had spoken a few words with Palme's wife, Lisbeth , and had pointed out the killer's escape route when police arrived. Engström had then dashed after police to hand them information he had learned from Palme's wife but aborted
6489-583: The late 1960s, he was hired by Sveriges Radio and later by Skandia Insurance Company to do design work in Stockholm , a position which he held until his retirement. Besides his work as a graphic designer, Engström was briefly associated with the Moderate Party in Täby , where he lived, which involved design, print work and advertising. He eventually left the Moderates because of a disagreement over
6592-583: The leadership of the Social Democratic Party, which he held until 1996. Two years later, Christer Pettersson (d. 2004), a murderer, small-time criminal and drug addict, was convicted of Palme's murder, but his conviction was overturned. Another suspect, Victor Gunnarsson , emigrated to the United States, where he was the victim of an unrelated murder in 1993. The assassination remained unsolved. A third and fourth suspect popularly referred to as " The Skandia Man " and GH , after their working place at
6695-425: The media emerged a cottage industry of so-called " privatspanare ", a somewhat derogatory term for self-appointed investigators. Engström was initially of as little interest to the privatspanare or to the police, because of the random nature of Palme's movement on the night of the murder seemed to preclude that Engström had timed his exit from the Skandia building to intercept Palme. In the early 1990s, Olle Minell,
6798-407: The minister for justice, the minister for foreign affairs did, however, continue to be styled as " Excellency ", an honour shared only with the prime minister. After 1917, it was no longer possible for a monarch to appoint the prime minister and the councillors of state (cabinet ministers) at their own discretion, or keep them in office against the will of the Riksdag. From that time onward, while
6901-456: The ministers and act on their advice. Over time, the ministers came to de facto exercise the royal prerogatives . However, the Swedish term used for the government during this period was still Kungl. Maj:t , an abbreviation of Kunglig Majestät 'Royal Majesty'. Until 1974, the executive authority in Sweden had been exercised through the King in Council . Constitutional reform provided
7004-576: The murder begin to proliferate in the late 1980s and the 1990s. Private enthusiasts, journalists, and authors began to propose a variety of possible suspects, scenarios and conspiracy theories , ranging from the CIA , the KGB , or Apartheid South Africa being involved to a variety of lone gunmen theories, police conspiracies, connections to the Bofors arms scandal and other plots, some more credible than others. In
7107-463: The murder. The prosecutor's announcement met with widespread criticism in Swedish media and from legal experts. Most critics focused on the absence of forensic evidence by charging that Petersson's case has been made up of speculation and circumstantial evidence. Some also questioned the legality or propriety of publicly naming Engström when even the prosecutor did not believe he had found evidence sufficient to convict him. Aftonbladet referred to
7210-410: The murder; however, test results had shown that they had likely not been written by Engström. Petersson noted that the evidence against Engström would have been too circumstantial for a trial but said it would have been evidence enough to detain and question him if he had been alive. As Engström was dead, the Swedish police could not start a prosecution and so the investigation was closed 34 years after
7313-585: The names of suspects, Engström was dubbed the Skandia Man ( Swedish : Skandiamannen ), since he had arrived at the crime scene from the nearby head office of the Skandia Insurance Company, where he worked. Since Petersson's announcement in 2020, Swedish media have referred to Engström by name. Stig Engström was born in Bombay , Bombay Presidency , British India , on 26 February 1934 to affluent Swedish parents from Småland . His mother, Ruth Engström,
7416-477: The number of 'yes' votes or abstentions. This is described as being "tolerated" by a majority of the Riksdag. After approval by the Riksdag, the new prime minister-designate must inform the Riksdag which ministers are chosen to make up the new government. The formal change of government, and thus the start of the term for the new prime minister takes place at a Council of State at the Royal Palace . This
7519-496: The presence of union-appointed 'safety stewards' to review the introduction of new technology with regard to the health and safety of workers". In 1976, an Act on co-determination at work was introduced that allowed unions to be consulted at various levels within companies before major changes were enforced that would affect employees, while management had to negotiate with labour for joint rights in all matters concerning organisation of work, hiring and firing, and key decisions affecting
7622-456: The present governmental line of succession). Constitutionally, the prime minister's position is stronger than that of his or her counterparts in Denmark and Norway . Since 1975, the prime minister has been both de jure and de facto chief executive, with powers and duties specifically enumerated in the Instrument of Government. In the two neighboring Scandinavian monarchies, the monarch
7725-425: The prime minister appoint a member of the cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister , to perform the duties of the prime minister if the prime minister cannot. However, if a deputy prime minister is absent or has not been appointed, the senior minister in the cabinet becomes acting head of government. If more than one minister has equal tenure, the eldest assumes the position (see Swedish governmental line of succession for
7828-419: The prime minister, cabinet ministers ( Swedish : statsråd [ˈstatsroːd] ) do not need the approval of the Riksdag, but they can be forced to resign by a vote of no confidence. If the prime minister is forced by a vote of no confidence to resign, the entire cabinet falls, and the process of electing a new prime minister starts. The prime minister can dissolve the Riksdag, even after receiving
7931-467: The prime minister. Harpsund , a manor house in Flen Municipality , Södermanland County , has served as a country residence for the prime minister since 1953. The manor is also frequently used for governmental conferences and informal summits between the government, industry and organisations in Sweden. The salaries of the cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, is decided by and
8034-449: The results were inconclusive. On the question of the weapon, Petersson simply stated that "considering what later transpires during the evening in question [i.e., that per Petersson's theory, Engström shot Palme], we state he must have had a gun". The only other forensic element of Petersson's investigation was the DNA testing of a series of mysterious letters that had claimed responsibility for
8137-433: The run after realizing that they had moved away too far. He also said he had tried to report himself as a witness to police at the scene but had been brushed off. However, no other witnesses clearly recalled Engström being at the crime scene, and his description of himself as an active or even leading figure in the events following the shooting was hard to reconcile with the testimony presented by other witnesses. A handful of
8240-422: The same elite school as Olof Palme though not at the same time. While Engström showed artistic and athletic talent, he did not excel academically and never graduated or went to university. Engström did his mandatory military service before he started his studies to become a graphic designer. For some time, he worked for the Swedish military procurement establishment in designing and illustrating field manuals. In
8343-482: The scene earlier than he admitted (which, according to Skandia's employee time clock, was quite possible) and spotted Palme only as he exited the building. Since for reasons unknown, Engström happened to be carrying a loaded gun, according to the theories, he decided to murder Palme. According to the Larsson-Pettersson argument, Engström then fled the area but counterintuitively almost immediately returned to
8446-401: The state had grown massively. Access to pensions for older workers in poor health was liberalised in 1970, and a disability pension was introduced for older unemployed workers in 1972. The Palme cabinet was also active in the field of education, introducing such reforms as a system of loans and benefits for students, regional universities, and preschool for all children. Under a law of 1970, in
8549-482: The time of its publication, but Pettersson's made a major splash and drew some acclaim. However, the theory also met with opposition. Skeptics argued that the idea of Engström as a murderer was far-fetched in comparison with what they viewed as the more obvious alternative. Engström was simply a confused witness with a penchant for exaggerating his own importance, and Palme's murderer remained unknown. In particular, family and friends of Engström almost universally rejected
8652-474: The two offices of Prime Minister for Justice ( Swedish : justitiestatsminister ) and Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs ( Swedish : utrikesstatsminister ) were created, though their roles were no more than just the heads of their respective ministries. When the office of the prime minister was created in 1876, the prime ministers for justice and foreign affairs were thus subsequently demoted to Minister for Justice and Minister for Foreign Affairs . Unlike
8755-602: The university entrance examination with high marks at the age of 17. He was called up into the Army in January 1945 and did his compulsory military service at Svea Artillery Regiment between 1945 and 1947, becoming in 1956 a reserve officer with the rank of Captain in the Artillery. After he was discharged from military service in March 1947, he enrolled at Stockholm University . On a scholarship, he studied at Kenyon College ,
8858-711: The upper secondary school system "gymnasium," “fackskola" and vocational "yrkesskola" were integrated to form one school with 3 sectors (arts and social science, technical and natural sciences, economic and commercial). In 1975, a law was passed that established free admission to universities. A number of reforms were also carried out to enhance workers' rights. An employment protection Act of 1974 introduced rules regarding consultation with unions, notice periods, and grounds for dismissal, together with priority rules for dismissals and re-employment in case of redundancies. That same year, work-environment improvement grants were introduced and made available to modernising firms "conditional upon
8961-438: The witness descriptions of the murderer and pointed especially to the small bag noted by a witness who saw the escaping assassin. Neither author presented any new testimony connecting Engström to the crime, but Pettersson interviewed Palme's son, Mårten Palme, who was cited as saying that his observation of a man who appeared to take an interest in his parents shortly before the shooting bore a resemblance to Engström. Critics of
9064-492: The witnesses were questioned about whether they had seen Engström. Two responded that they had not, but two others said they had but only after initial hesitation and, in one case, after details were offered that also seemed to match another witness. Complicating matters, the fact that Engström had sought media attention after the event reduced the evidentiary value of witness recollections of his appearance because his face had become publicly known. After briefly treating him as
9167-808: The workplace. Palme's last government, elected during a time when Sweden's economy was in difficult shape, sought to pursue a "third way," designed to stimulate investment, production, and employment, having ruled out classical Keynesian policies as a result of the growing burden of foreign debt, together with the big balance of payments and budget deficits. This involved "equality of sacrifice," whereby wage restraint would be accompanied by increases in welfare provision and more progressive taxation . For instance, taxes on wealth, gifts, and inheritance were increased, while tax benefits to shareholders were either reduced or eliminated. In addition, various welfare cuts carried out before Olof's return to office were rescinded. The previous system of indexing pensions and other benefits
9270-549: The world after that of the United States ) with a new one officially establishing parliamentary democracy rather than de jure monarchic autocracy, abolishing the Cabinet meetings chaired by the King and stripping the monarchy of all formal political powers. His reforms on labour market included establishing a law which increased job security . In the Swedish 1973 general election , the Socialist-Communist and
9373-399: Was "reasonable evidence" that Stig Engström had killed Palme. As Engström had taken his own life in 2000, the authorities announced that the investigation into Palme's death was to be closed. The 2020 conclusion has faced widespread criticism from lawyers, police officers and journalists, decrying the evidence as only circumstantial, and – by the prosecutors' own admission – too weak to ensure
9476-490: Was a driving force behind the release of the documentary Dom kallar oss mods ("They Call Us Misfits"). The controversial film, depicting two social outcasts, was scheduled to be released in an edited form but Palme thought the material was too socially important to be cut. An outspoken supporter of gender equality, Palme sparked interest for women's rights issues by attending a World Women's Conference in Mexico . He also made
9579-460: Was a pivotal and polarizing figure domestically as well as in international politics from the 1960s onward. He was steadfast in his non-alignment policy towards the superpowers, accompanied by support for numerous liberation movements following decolonization including, most controversially, economic and vocal support for a number of Third World governments. He was the first Western head of government to visit Cuba after its revolution , giving
9682-415: Was introduced, and former maternity benefits were replaced by a parental allowance. In 1974, housing allowances for families with children were raised and these allowances were extended to other low-income groups. Childcare centres were also expanded under Palme, and separate taxation of husband and wife introduced. Under Palme, over half of the Swedish economy was under public ownership , and the influence of
9785-505: Was not a mythomaniac , but it was along those lines", a childhood friend told Expressen . On 10 June 2020, Engström was announced as the prime suspect in Palme's murder at a press conference by the Swedish Prosecuting Authority's investigator, Krister Petersson. The prosecutor explicitly denied having relied on the books by Lars Larsson and Thomas Pettersson but presented a strikingly similar description of
9888-483: Was originally from Nybro . His father, Folke Engström, worked for the industrialist Ivar Kreuger . In 1926, his father received the opportunity from his employer to move to India to start up production there. His younger brother was born in Calcutta in 1940. Engström returned to Sweden when he was twelve years old and lived with relatives of the family until his parents also returned a few years later. He attended
9991-421: Was restored, the grant-in-aid scheme for municipal child care facilities was re-established, unemployment insurance was restored in full, and the so-called "no benefit days" for those drawing sickness benefits were cancelled. Increases were also made to both food subsidies and child allowances, while the employee investment funds (which represented a radical form of profit-sharing) were introduced. In 1968, Palme
10094-472: Was separately proposed as Palme's assassin by the Swedish writers Lars Larsson and Thomas Pettersson. Krister Petersson, prosecutor in charge of the investigation, announced the closing of the case at a press conference on 10 June 2020 and stated twenty years after Engström's death, he was the prime suspect in the murder, but that the evidence against him would have been too weak for a trial. In line with Swedish media reporting practices of not disclosing
10197-618: Was seven years old. Despite his background, his political orientation came to be influenced by Social Democratic attitudes. His travels in the Third World , as well as the United States, where he saw deep economic inequality and racial segregation , helped to develop these views. A sickly child, Olof Palme received his education from private tutors. Even as a child he gained knowledge of two foreign languages — German and English . He studied at Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket , one of Sweden's few residential high schools, and passed
10300-466: Was significantly expanded from a position already one of the most far-reaching in the world during his time in office. As noted by Isabela Mares, during the first half of the Seventies "the level of benefits provided by every subsystem of the welfare state improved significantly." Various policy changes increased the basic old-age pension replacement rate from 42% of the average wage in 1969 to 57%, while
10403-399: Was the further development of radio and television, while ensuring their independence from commercial interests. In 1967 he became Minister of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs , and the following year, he became Minister for Education and was the target of strong criticism from left-wing students protesting against the government's plans for university reform. The protests culminated with
10506-415: Was vague and contradictory and described a man of medium height, wearing a dark coat or, according to a small minority of witnesses, a blue jacket, who may or may not have worn some form of headgear (witness testimony varied between no headgear, a rolled-up knitted cap, a hat or a cap that possibly had ear-flaps). The killer escaped on foot, and was likely spotted a couple hundred metres from the crime scene by
10609-505: Was very popular among the left, but harshly detested by liberals and conservatives. This was due in part to his international activities, especially those directed against the US foreign policy, and in part to his aggressive and outspoken debating style. As leader of a new generation of Swedish Social Democrats, Palme was often described as a "revolutionary reformist" and self-identified as a progressive . Domestically, his leftist views, especially
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