Fälldin, Thorbjörn

Fälldin, Thorbjörn

(Nils Olof Thorbjörn Fälldin), 1926–2016, Swedish political leader, prime minister of Sweden (1976–78, 1979–82). A member of the Center party, he was first elected to the Swedish parliament in 1958 and became party chairman in 1971. In 1976, following the defeat of the Social Democrats, the Center, Liberal (People's), and Moderate parties formed a center-right coalition government, and Fälldin became prime minister. It was the first government not led by the Social Democrats in four decades. When the coalition fell apart (1978) he resigned as prime minister. After the 1979 elections, he again formed a coalition with the Liberals and Moderates; the latter left the government in 1981. The Social Democrats regained power in the 1982 elections, and Fälldin resigned as party leader in 1985 after his party suffered losses for the third consecutive time.