The Minister for Defence of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

( sv, försvarsminister; formal title: sv, statsråd och chef för försvarsdepartementet) is a member of the

Government of Sweden The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden ( sv, Konungariket Sveriges regering) is the national cabinet of Sweden, and the country's executive authority. The Government consists of the Prime Ministerappointed and dismissed by the Speaker of the ...

( sv, Regeringen). The Minister heads the Ministry for Defence and is appointed and dismissed at the sole discretion of the

prime minister of Sweden The prime minister ( sv, statsminister ; literally translating to "Minister of State") is the head of government of Sweden. The prime minister and their cabinet (the government) exercise executive authority in the Kingdom of Sweden and are subj ...

. Although the Minister for Defence heads the Ministry of Defence, the Minister cannot as a general rule issue directives in his/her own right to the Supreme Commander or any other agency director-general in the defence portfolio due to the Swedish prohibition on ministerial rule, unless such authority is provided for in specific statutory provisions. Between 1840 and 1920, what corresponds to the Ministry for Defence today, was divided in two separate ministries with their own minister: one for Army affairs, the

Ministry of Land Defence Ministry of Land Defence ( sv, Lantförsvarsdepartementet) was in a broad sense, one of the eight ministries, in which the Government of Sweden, Swedish government administration was divided into. Its head was called Minister of War. The Ministry of ...

, and one for Naval affairs, the Ministry for Naval Affairs. The current Minister for Defence is

Pål Jonson Pål Henning Jonson (born 30 May 1972) is a Sweden, Swedish politician of the Moderate Party. He has served as Minister of Defence (Sweden), Minister for Defence in the Kristersson Cabinet, cabinet of Ulf Kristersson since 2022. Biography Jon ...

, who was appointed on 18 October 2022.

List of Swedish Ministers for Defence

Ministers for War (1840-1920)

*1840 - 1840

Bror Cederström Gustaf Albrecht Bror Cederström (21 September 1780 – 21 December 1877) was a Swedish baron and lieutenant general and Minister for Defence (Sweden), Minister of War. Biography Cederström was born at Fornsigtuna, Sweden and was the only child o ...

(1780–1877) *1840 - 1843 Axel Otto Mörner (1774–1852) *1843 - 1844 Arfved Lovisin (1772–1847) *1844 - 1848

Gustaf Peyron Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media *Primeval (film), ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film *Gustav (film series), ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hu ...

(1783–1852) *1848 - 1853

Carl Ludvig von Hohenhausen Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community *Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of tel ...

(1787–1866) *1853 - 1858 Nils Gyldenstolpe (1799–1864) *1858 - 1862 Magnus Björnstjerna (1805–98) *1862 - 1867 Alexander Reuterskiöld (1804–91) *1867 - 1871 Gustaf Abelin (1819–1903) *1871 - 1877 Oscar Weidenhielm (1816–84) *1877 - 1880 Henrik Rosensvärd (1816–90) *1880 - 1882 Otto Taube (1832–1906) *1882 - 1887

Axel Ryding Generallöjtnant, Lieutenant General Knut ''Axel'' Ryding (28 August 1831 – 7 February 1897) was a Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include the post of Chief of the General Staff (Sweden), Chief of the General Staff and commanding offi ...

(1831–97) *1887 - 1888 Gustaf Oscar Peyron (1828–1915) *1888 - 1892

Hjalmar Palmstierna Hjalmar () and Ingeborg () were a legendary Swedish duo. The male protagonist Hjalmar and his duel for Ingeborg figures in the ''Hervarar saga'' and in ''Orvar-Odd's saga'', as well as in ''Gesta Danorum'', ''Lay of Hyndla'' and a number of Kvæð ...

(1836–1909) *1892 - 1899

Axel Rappe ''Friherre'' General Axel Emil Rappe (2October 1838 – 18December 1918) was a Swedish Army officer and Minister of War from 1892 and 1899. Early life Rappe was born on 2 October 1838 in Christinelund manor in Arby, Kalmar County, the ...

(1838–1918) *1899 - 1903

Jesper Crusebjörn Jesper Ingevald Crusebjörn (24 July 1843 – 24 June 1904) was a Swedish politician and officer of the Swedish Army, eventually attaining the rank of lieutenant general. Life He was the son of Frans Crusebjörn and Lovisa Fougt. He became a ...

(1843–1904) *1903 - 1905 Otto Virgin (1852–1922) *1905 - 1907

Lars Tingsten General Lars Herman Tingsten (13 July 1857 – 10 September 1937) was a Swedish Army officer. He was Minister for War from 1905 to 1907 and Chief of the General Staff from 1919 to 1922. Early life Tingsten was born on 13 July 1857 in Ingatorp, ...

(1857–1937), nonpolitical *1907 - 1907

Arvid Lindman Salomon Arvid Achates Lindman (19 September 1862 – 9 December 1936) was a Swedish rear admiral, industrialist and conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1906 to 1911 and again from 1928 to 1930. He was also th ...

(1862–1936), Rightist Party *1907 - 1911

Olof Malm Olov (or Olof) is a Swedish form of Olav/Olaf (disambiguation), Olaf, meaning "ancestor's descendant". A common short form of the name is ''Olle''. The name may refer to: *Per-Olov Ahrén (1926–2004), Swedish clergyman, bishop of Lund from 198 ...

(1851–1939), Rightist Party *1911 - 1914

David Bergström David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

(1858–1946),

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

*1914 - 1914

Hjalmar Hammarskjöld Knut Hjalmar Leonard Hammarskjöld (; 4 February 1862 – 12 October 1953) was a Swedish politician, scholar, cabinet minister, Member of Parliament from 1923 to 1938 (first chamber), and Prime Minister of Sweden from 1914 to 1917. In 1890, he m ...

(1862–1953), nonpolitical *1914 - 1917 Emil Mörcke (1861–1951), nonpolitical *1917 - 1917

Joachim Åkerman Joachim (; ''Yəhōyāqīm'', "he whom Yahweh has set up"; ; ) was, according to Christian tradition, the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in the Biblical apocryphal ...

(1868–1958), Rightist Party *1917 - 1920 Erik Nilson (1862–1925),

*1920 - 1920

Per Albin Hansson Per Albin Hansson (28 October 1885 – 6 October 1946) was a Swedish politician, chairman of the Social Democrats from 1925 and two-time Prime Minister in four governments between 1932 and 1946, governing all that period save for a short-lived ...

(1885–1946),

Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties For ...

Ministers for Naval Affairs (1840-1920)

*1840 - 1844 Johan Lagerbjelke (1778–1856) *1844 - 1848 Carl August Gyllengranat (1787–1864) *1848 - 1849 Johan Fredrik Ehrenstam (1800–49) *1849 - 1852 Baltzar von Platen (1804–75) *1852 - 1857 Carl Ulner (1796–1859) *1857 - 1862 Carl Magnus Ehnemark (1803–74) *1862 - 1868 Baltzar von Platen (1804–75) *1868 - 1870 Magnus Thulstrup (1805–81) *1870 - 1874

Abraham Leijonhufvud Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jews ...

(1823–1911) *1874 - 1880

Fredrik von Otter Fredrik Wilhelm von Otter (11 April 1833 – 9 March 1910) was a Swedish ''friherre'', naval officer and politician, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1900 to 1902. Life and work Otter was born on the Fimmersta estate (T� ...

(1833–1910) *1880 - 1892 Carl-Gustaf von Otter (1827–1900) *1892 - 1898 Jarl Christersson (1833–1922) *1898 - 1901

Gerhard Dyrssen Gerhard is Gerard, a name of Germanic origin and may refer to: Given name * Gerhard (bishop of Passau) (fl. 932–946), German prelate * Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg (1292–1340), German prince, regent of Denmark * Gerhard Barkhorn (19 ...

(1854–1938) *1901 - 1905

Louis Palander Adolf Arnold Louis Palander af Vega (2 October 1842 – 7 August 1920) was a Swedish naval officer, mostly remembered as the captain on Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld's Vega expedition, the first successful attempt to navi ...

(1842–1920) *1905 - 1905

(1862–1936) *1905 - 1906 Ludvig Sidner (1851–1917),

*1906 - 1907

Wilhelm Dyrssen Admiral Wilhelm Dyrssen (26 March 1858 – 14 July 1929) was a senior Swedish Navy officer. He served as minister for naval affairs from 1906 to 1907, and the Inspector of the Navy's Exercises at Sea from 1907 to 1916, as well as commander of ...

(1858–1929), Rightist Party *1907 - 1910 Carl-August Ehrensvärd (1858–1933), Rightist Party *1910 - 1911

Henning von Krusenstierna Admiral Henning Wilhelm Mauritz von Krusenstierna (19 February 1862 – 30 October 1933) was a senior Swedish Navy officer. von Krusenstierna's served as head of the Military Office of the Ministry for Naval Affairs (1906–1909), as Flag Captai ...

(1862–1933), Rightist Party *1911 - 1914

Jacob Larsson Jacob Larsson (born 29 April 1997) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing with the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) ...

(1851–1940),

*1914 - 1917

Dan Boström Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...

(1870–1925), nonpolitical *1917 - 1917 Hans Ericson (1868–1945), Rightist Party *1917 - 1920

Erik Palmstierna Erik Kule Palmstierna (10 November 1877 – 22 November 1959) was a Swedish Social Democratic politician and diplomat. He served as Minister for Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister ...

(1877–1959),

*1920 - 1920

Bernhard Eriksson Bernhard Eriksson (19 April 1878 – 18 April 1952) was a Swedish social democratic politician. He was Minister for Naval Affairs in 1920 and Speaker of the Riksdags second chamber 1928–1932. He also served as Governor of Dalarna Dalarna ...

(1878–1952),

Ministers for Defence (1920-)

Parties Status

External links

www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2060
{{Government ministries of Sweden

List of Swedish Ministers for Defence

Ministers for War (1840-1920)

Ministers for Naval Affairs (1840-1920)

Ministers for Defence (1920-)

See also

External links