# Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Swedish: utrikesminister) is the foreign minister of Sweden and the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The current Minister for Foreign Affairs is Maria Malmer Stenergard of the Moderate Party.

## History

The office was instituted in 1809 as a result of the constitutional Instrument of Government promulgated in the same year. Until 1876 the office was called Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs (Swedish: statsminister för utrikes ärendena, commonly known as utrikesstatsminister), similar to the office of Prime Minister for Justice (Swedish: justitiestatsminister). The Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs initially served as head of the Cabinet of Foreign Mail Exchange at the Royal Office. Following the ministry reform in 1840, the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs became head of the newly instituted Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In 1876 the office proper of Prime Minister of Sweden was created and at the same time the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs was nominally demoted to a mere Minister. The holder of the office did however continue to be styled as "Your excellency", until 1974 when the new Instrument of Government came into force. Before the parliamentary breakthrough in the early 20th century, that title had been granted exclusively to members of the most prominent noble families.

## Office holders
### Prime Ministers for Foreign Affairs (1809–1876)

| Name | Took office | Left office | Political party |
| Lars von Engeström | 9 June 1809 | 8 June 1824 | Independent |
| Gustaf af Wetterstedt | 8 June 1824 | 15 May 1837 | Independent |
| Adolf Mörner (acting) | 15 May 1837 | 30 January 1838 | Independent |
| Gustaf Algernon Stierneld | 30 January 1838 | 11 July 1842 | Independent |
| Albrecht Elof Ihre (acting) | 5 September 1840 | 29 December 1842 | Independent |
| Albrecht Elof Ihre | 29 December 1842 | 10 April 1848 | Independent |
| Gustaf Algernon Stierneld | 10 April 1848 | 8 September 1856 | Independent |
| Elias Lagerheim | 8 September 1856 | 16 March 1858 | Independent |
| Ludvig Manderström | 16 March 1858 | 4 June 1868 | Independent |
| Carl Wachtmeister | 4 June 1868 | 14 October 1871 | Independent |
| Baltzar von Platen | 10 November 1871 | 17 December 1872 | Independent |
| Oscar Björnstjerna | 17 December 1872 | 20 March 1876 | Independent |

### Ministers for Foreign Affairs (1876–present)

Parties
Status
| No. | Portrait | Minister (Born–Died) | Tenure | Tenure | Tenure | Political party | Cabinet | Cabinet |
| No. | Portrait | Minister (Born–Died) | Took office | Left office | Duration | Political party | Cabinet | Cabinet |
| 1 | | Oscar Björnstjerna (1819–1905) | 20 March 1876 | 19 April 1880 | 4 years, 30 days | Independent | | De Geer Sr. (II) |
| 2 | | Carl Hochschild (1831–1898) | 27 April 1880 | 25 September 1885 | 5 years, 151 days | Independent | | Posse |
| 2 | | Carl Hochschild (1831–1898) | 27 April 1880 | 25 September 1885 | 5 years, 151 days | Independent | | Thyselius |
| 3 | | Albert Ehrensvärd the Elder (1821–1901) | 25 September 1885 | 12 June 1889 | 3 years, 260 days | Independent | | Themptander |
| 3 | | Albert Ehrensvärd the Elder (1821–1901) | 25 September 1885 | 12 June 1889 | 3 years, 260 days | Independent | | Gillis Bildt |
| 4 | | Gustaf Åkerhielm (1833–1900) | 12 June 1889 | 12 October 1889 | 122 days | Protectionist Party | | Gillis Bildt |
| 5 | | Carl Lewenhaupt (1835–1906) | 12 October 1889 | 1 June 1895 | 5 years, 232 days | Independent | | Åkerhielm |
| 5 | | Carl Lewenhaupt (1835–1906) | 12 October 1889 | 1 June 1895 | 5 years, 232 days | Independent | | Boström (I) |
| 6 | | Ludvig Douglas (1849–1916) | 1 June 1895 | 13 October 1899 | 4 years, 134 days | Independent | | Boström (I) |
| 7 | | Alfred Lagerheim (1843–1924) | 20 December 1899 | 7 December 1904 | 4 years, 353 days | Lantmanna Party | | von Otter |
| 7 | | Alfred Lagerheim (1843–1924) | 20 December 1899 | 7 December 1904 | 4 years, 353 days | Lantmanna Party | | Boström (II) |
| 8 | | August Gyldenstolpe (1849–1928) | 22 December 1904 | 2 August 1905 | 223 days | Independent | | Ramstedt |
| 9 | | Fredrik Wachtmeister (1855–1919) | 2 August 1905 | 7 November 1905 | 97 days | Protectionist Party | | Lundeberg |
| 10 | | Eric Trolle (1863–1934) | 7 November 1905 | 17 March 1909 | 3 years, 130 days | Independent | | Staaff (I) |
| 10 | | Eric Trolle (1863–1934) | 7 November 1905 | 17 March 1909 | 3 years, 130 days | Independent | | Lindman (I) |
| 11 | | Arvid Taube (1853–1916) | 30 April 1909 | 7 October 1911 | 2 years, 160 days | General Electoral League | | Lindman (I) |
| 12 | | Albert Ehrensvärd the Younger (1867–1940) | 7 October 1911 | 17 February 1914 | 2 years, 133 days | Liberal Coalition Party | | Staaff (I) |
| 13 | | Knut Wallenberg (1853–1938) | 17 February 1914 | 30 March 1917 | 3 years, 41 days | National Party | | Hammarskjöld |
| 14 | | Arvid Lindman (1862–1936) | 30 March 1917 | 19 October 1917 | 203 days | General Electoral League | | Swartz |
| 15 | | Johannes Hellner (1866–1947) | 19 October 1917 | 10 March 1920 | 2 years, 143 days | Liberal Coalition Party | | Edén |
| 16 | | Erik Palmstierna (1877–1959) | 10 March 1920 | 27 October 1920 | 231 days | Social Democrats | | Branting (I) |
| 17 | | Herman Wrangel (1857–1934) | 27 October 1920 | 13 October 1921 | 351 days | Independent | | De Geer Jr. |
| 17 | | Herman Wrangel (1857–1934) | 27 October 1920 | 13 October 1921 | 351 days | Independent | | von Sydow |
| 18 | | Hjalmar Branting (1860–1925) | 13 October 1921 | 19 April 1923 | 1 year, 188 days | Social Democrats | | Branting (II) |
| 19 | | Carl Hederstierna (1861–1928) | 19 April 1923 | 11 November 1923 | 206 days | General Electoral League | | Trygger |
| 20 | | Erik Marks von Würtemberg (1861–1937) | 11 November 1923 | 18 October 1924 | 342 days | General Electoral League | | Trygger |
| 21 | | Östen Undén (1886–1974) | 18 October 1924 | 7 June 1926 | 1 year, 232 days | Social Democrats | | Branting (III) |
| 21 | | Östen Undén (1886–1974) | 18 October 1924 | 7 June 1926 | 1 year, 232 days | Social Democrats | | Sandler |
| 22 | | Eliel Löfgren (1872–1940) | 7 June 1926 | 2 October 1928 | 2 years, 117 days | Liberal Party | | Ekman (I) |
| 23 | | Ernst Trygger (1857–1943) | 2 October 1928 | 7 June 1930 | 1 year, 248 days | National Party | | Lindman (II) |
| 24 | | Fredrik Ramel (1872–1947) | 7 June 1930 | 24 September 1932 | 2 years, 109 days | Independent | | Ekman (II) |
| 24 | | Fredrik Ramel (1872–1947) | 7 June 1930 | 24 September 1932 | 2 years, 109 days | Independent | | Hamrin |
| 25 | | Rickard Sandler (1884–1964) | 24 September 1932 | 19 June 1936 | 3 years, 269 days | Social Democrats | | Hansson (I) |
| 26 | | Karl Gustaf Westman (1876–1944) | 19 June 1936 | 28 September 1936 | 101 days | Farmer's League | | Pehrsson-Bramstorp |
| 27 | | Rickard Sandler (1884–1964) | 28 September 1936 | 13 December 1939 | 3 years, 76 days | Social Democrats | | Hansson (II) |
| 28 | | Christian Günther (1886–1966) | 13 December 1939 | 31 July 1945 | 5 years, 230 days | Independent | | Hansson (III) |
| 29 | | Östen Undén (1886–1974) | 31 July 1945 | 19 September 1962 | 17 years, 50 days | Social Democrats | | Hansson (IV) |
| 29 | | Östen Undén (1886–1974) | 31 July 1945 | 19 September 1962 | 17 years, 50 days | Social Democrats | | Erlander (I) |
| 29 | | Östen Undén (1886–1974) | 31 July 1945 | 19 September 1962 | 17 years, 50 days | Social Democrats | | Erlander (II) |
| 29 | | Östen Undén (1886–1974) | 31 July 1945 | 19 September 1962 | 17 years, 50 days | Social Democrats | | Erlander (III) |
| 30 | | Torsten Nilsson (1905–1997) | 19 September 1962 | 30 June 1971 | 8 years, 284 days | Social Democrats | | Erlander (III) |
| 30 | | Torsten Nilsson (1905–1997) | 19 September 1962 | 30 June 1971 | 8 years, 284 days | Social Democrats | | Palme (I) |
| 31 | | Krister Wickman (1924–1993) | 30 June 1971 | 3 November 1973 | 2 years, 126 days | Social Democrats | | Palme (I) |
| 32 | | Sven Andersson (1910–1987) | 3 November 1973 | 8 October 1976 | 2 years, 340 days | Social Democrats | | Palme (I) |
| 33 | | Karin Söder (1928–2015) | 8 October 1976 | 18 October 1978 | 2 years, 10 days | Centre Party | | Fälldin (I) |
| 34 | | Hans Blix (born 1928) | 18 October 1978 | 12 October 1979 | 359 days | People's Party | | Ullsten |
| 35 | | Ola Ullsten (1931–2018) | 12 October 1979 | 8 October 1982 | 2 years, 361 days | People's Party | | Fälldin (II) |
| 35 | | Ola Ullsten (1931–2018) | 12 October 1979 | 8 October 1982 | 2 years, 361 days | People's Party | | Fälldin (III) |
| 36 | | Lennart Bodström (1928–2015) | 8 October 1982 | 17 October 1985 | 3 years, 9 days | Social Democrats | | Palme (II) |
| 37 | | Sten Andersson (1923–2006) | 17 October 1985 | 4 October 1991 | 5 years, 352 days | Social Democrats | | Palme (II) |
| 37 | | Sten Andersson (1923–2006) | 17 October 1985 | 4 October 1991 | 5 years, 352 days | Social Democrats | | Carlsson (I) |
| 37 | | Sten Andersson (1923–2006) | 17 October 1985 | 4 October 1991 | 5 years, 352 days | Social Democrats | | Carlsson (II) |
| 38 | | Margaretha af Ugglas (born 1939) | 4 October 1991 | 7 October 1994 | 3 years, 3 days | Moderate Party | | Carl Bildt |
| 39 | | Lena Hjelm-Wallén (born 1943) | 7 October 1994 | 7 October 1998 | 4 years, 0 days | Social Democrats | | Carlsson (III) |
| 39 | | Lena Hjelm-Wallén (born 1943) | 7 October 1994 | 7 October 1998 | 4 years, 0 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| 40 | | Anna Lindh (1957–2003) | 7 October 1998 | 11 September 2003 | 4 years, 339 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| – | | Jan O. Karlsson (1939–2016) | 11 September 2003 | 10 October 2003 | 29 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| 41 | | Laila Freivalds (born 1942) | 10 October 2003 | 21 March 2006 | 2 years, 162 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| – | | Bo Ringholm (born 1942) | 21 March 2006 | 27 March 2006 | 6 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| – | | Carin Jämtin (born 1964) | 27 March 2006 | 24 April 2006 | 28 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| 42 | | Jan Eliasson (born 1940) | 24 April 2006 | 6 October 2006 | 165 days | Social Democrats | | Persson |
| 43 | | Carl Bildt (born 1949) | 6 October 2006 | 3 October 2014 | 7 years, 362 days | Moderate Party | | Reinfeldt |
| 44 | | Margot Wallström (born 1954) | 3 October 2014 | 10 September 2019 | 4 years, 342 days | Social Democrats | | Löfven (I) |
| 44 | | Margot Wallström (born 1954) | 3 October 2014 | 10 September 2019 | 4 years, 342 days | Social Democrats | | Löfven (II) |
| 45 | | Ann Linde (born 1961) | 10 September 2019 | 18 October 2022 | 3 years, 38 days | Social Democrats | | Löfven (II) · (III) Andersson |
| 46 | | Tobias Billström (born 1973) | 18 October 2022 | 10 September 2024 | 1 year, 328 days | Moderate Party | | Kristersson |
| 47 | | Maria Malmer Stenergard (born 1981) | 10 September 2024 | Incumbent | 172 days | Moderate Party | | Kristersson |

#### Statistics

| # | Minister for Foreign Affairs | Date of birth | Age at ascension (first term) | Time in office (total) | Age at retirement (last term) | Date of death | Longevity |
| 1 | Oscar Björnstjerna | (1819-03-06)6 March 1819 | 57 years, 14 days | 4 years, 30 days | 61 years, 44 days | (1905-09-02)2 September 1905 | 86 years, 180 days |
| 2 | Carl Hochschild | (1831-09-13)13 September 1831 | 48 years, 227 days | 5 years, 151 days | 54 years, 12 days | (1898-12-12)12 December 1898 | 67 years, 90 days |
| 3 | Albert Ehrensvärd, Sr. | (1821-01-10)10 January 1821 | 64 years, 258 days | 3 years, 260 days | 68 years, 153 days | (1901-01-31)31 January 1901 | 80 years, 21 days |
| 4 | Gustaf Åkerhielm | (1833-06-24)24 June 1833 | 55 years, 353 days | 0 years, 122 days | 56 years, 110 days | (1900-04-02)2 April 1900 | 66 years, 282 days |
| 5 | Carl Lewenhaupt | (1835-03-19)19 March 1835 | 54 years, 207 days | 5 years, 232 days | 60 years, 74 days | (1906-12-10)10 December 1906 | 71 years, 266 days |
| 6 | Ludvig Douglas | (1849-11-24)24 November 1849 | 45 years, 189 days | 4 years, 134 days | 49 years, 323 days | (1916-07-20)20 July 1916 | 66 years, 239 days |
| 7 | Alfred Lagerheim | (1843-10-04)4 October 1843 | 56 years, 77 days | 4 years, 353 days | 61 years, 64 days | (1924-05-23)23 May 1924 | 80 years, 232 days |
| 8 | August Gyldenstolpe | (1849-07-22)22 July 1849 | 55 years, 153 days | 0 years, 223 days | 56 years, 11 days | (1928-06-30)30 June 1928 | 78 years, 344 days |
| 9 | Fredrik Wachtmeister | (1855-02-10)10 February 1855 | 50 years, 173 days | 0 years, 97 days | 50 years, 270 days | (1919-09-06)6 September 1919 | 64 years, 208 days |
| 10 | Eric Trolle | (1863-09-23)23 September 1863 | 41 years, 349 days | 3 years, 130 days | 45 years, 114 days | (1934-04-21)21 April 1934 | 70 years, 149 days |
| 11 | Arvid Taube | (1853-01-19)19 January 1853 | 56 years, 101 days | 2 years, 160 days | 58 years, 261 days | (1916-10-14)14 October 1916 | 63 years, 269 days |
| 12 | Albert Ehrensvärd, Jr. | (1867-05-09)9 May 1867 | 44 years, 151 days | 2 years, 133 days | 46 years, 284 days | (1940-03-06)6 March 1940 | 72 years, 302 days |
| 13 | Knut Wallenberg | (1853-05-19)19 May 1853 | 60 years, 274 days | 3 years, 41 days | 63 years, 315 days | (1938-06-01)1 June 1938 | 85 years, 13 days |
| 14 | Arvid Lindman | (1862-09-19)19 September 1862 | 46 years, 55 days | 0 years, 203 days | 48 years, 198 days | (1936-12-09)9 December 1936 | 74 years, 81 days |
| 15 | Johannes Hellner | (1866-04-22)22 April 1866 | 51 years, 180 days | 2 years, 143 days | 53 years, 323 days | (1947-02-19)19 February 1947 | 80 years, 303 days |
| 16 | Erik Palmstierna | (1877-11-10)10 November 1877 | 42 years, 121 days | 0 years, 231 days | 42 years, 352 days | (1959-10-22)22 October 1959 | 81 years, 346 days |
| 17 | Herman Wrangel | (1857-08-13)13 August 1857 | 63 years, 75 days | 0 years, 351 days | 64 years, 61 days | (1934-10-09)9 October 1934 | 77 years, 57 days |
| 18 | Hjalmar Branting | (1860-11-23)23 November 1860 | 60 years, 324 days | 1 year, 188 days | 62 years, 147 days | (1925-02-24)24 February 1925 | 64 years, 93 days |
| 19 | Carl Hederstierna | (1861-12-01)1 December 1861 | 61 years, 139 days | 0 years, 206 days | 61 years, 345 days | (1928-11-17)17 November 1928 | 66 years, 352 days |
| 20 | Erik Marks von Würtemberg | (1861-05-11)11 May 1861 | 62 years, 184 days | 0 years, 342 days | 63 years, 160 days | (1937-07-22)22 July 1937 | 76 years, 72 days |
| 21 | Östen Undén | (1886-08-25)25 August 1886 | 38 years, 54 days | 18 years, 282 days | 76 years, 25 days | (1974-01-14)14 January 1974 | 87 years, 142 days |
| 22 | Eliel Löfgren | (1872-03-15)15 March 1872 | 54 years, 84 days | 2 years, 117 days | 56 years, 201 days | (1940-04-08)8 April 1940 | 68 years, 24 days |
| 23 | Ernst Trygger | (1857-10-27)27 October 1857 | 70 years, 341 days | 1 years, 248 days | 72 years, 223 days | (1943-09-23)23 September 1943 | 85 years, 331 days |
| 24 | Fredrik Ramel | (1872-12-09)9 December 1872 | 57 years, 180 days | 2 years, 109 days | 59 years, 290 days | (1947-10-30)30 October 1947 | 74 years, 325 days |
| 25 | Rickard Sandler | (1884-01-29)29 January 1884 | 48 years, 239 days | 6 years, 345 days | 55 years, 318 days | (1964-11-12)12 November 1964 | 80 years, 288 days |
| 26 | Karl Gustaf Westman | (1876-08-18)18 August 1876 | 59 years, 306 days | 0 years, 101 days | 60 years, 41 days | (1944-01-24)24 January 1944 | 67 years, 159 days |
| 27 | Christian Günther | (1886-12-05)5 December 1886 | 53 years, 8 days | 5 years, 230 days | 58 years, 238 days | (1966-03-06)6 March 1966 | 79 years, 91 days |
| 28 | Torsten Nilsson | (1905-04-01)1 April 1905 | 57 years, 171 days | 8 years, 284 days | 66 years, 90 days | (1997-12-14)14 December 1997 | 92 years, 257 days |
| 29 | Krister Wickman | (1924-04-13)13 April 1924 | 47 years, 78 days | 2 years, 126 days | 49 years, 204 days | (1993-09-10)10 September 1993 | 69 years, 150 days |
| 30 | Sven Andersson | (1910-04-05)5 April 1910 | 63 years, 212 days | 2 years, 340 days | 66 years, 186 days | (1987-09-21)21 September 1987 | 77 years, 169 days |
| 31 | Karin Söder | (1928-11-30)30 November 1928 | 47 years, 313 days | 2 years, 10 days | 49 years, 322 days | (2015-12-19)19 December 2015 | 87 years, 19 days |
| 32 | Hans Blix | (1928-06-28)28 June 1928 | 50 years, 112 days | 0 years, 359 days | 51 years, 106 days | Living | 96 years, 246 days (Living) |
| 33 | Ola Ullsten | (1931-06-23)23 June 1931 | 48 years, 111 days | 2 years, 361 days | 51 years, 107 days | (2018-05-28)28 May 2018 | 86 years, 339 days |
| 34 | Lennart Bodström | (1928-04-20)20 April 1928 | 54 years, 171 days | 3 years, 9 days | 57 years, 180 days | (2015-04-30)30 April 2015 | 87 years, 10 days |
| 35 | Sten Andersson | (1923-04-20)20 April 1923 | 62 years, 180 days | 5 years, 352 days | 68 years, 167 days | (2006-09-13)13 September 2006 | 83 years, 210 days |
| 36 | Margaretha af Ugglas | (1939-01-05)5 January 1939 | 52 years, 272 days | 3 years, 3 days | 55 years, 275 days | Living | 86 years, 55 days (Living) |
| 37 | Lena Hjelm-Wallén | (1943-01-14)14 January 1943 | 51 years, 266 days | 4 years, 0 days | 55 years, 266 days | Living | 82 years, 46 days (Living) |
| 38 | Anna Lindh | (1957-06-19)19 June 1957 | 41 years, 110 days | 4 years, 339 days | 46 years, 84 days | (2003-09-11)11 September 2003 | 46 years, 84 days |
| 39 | Laila Freivalds | (1942-06-22)22 June 1942 | 61 years, 110 days | 2 years, 162 days | 63 years, 272 days | Living | 82 years, 252 days (Living) |
| 40 | Jan Eliasson | (1940-09-17)17 September 1940 | 65 years, 219 days | 0 years, 165 days | 66 years, 19 days | Living | 84 years, 165 days (Living) |
| 41 | Carl Bildt | (1949-07-15)15 July 1949 | 57 years, 83 days | 7 years, 362 days | 65 years, 80 days | Living | 75 years, 229 days (Living) |
| 42 | Margot Wallström | (1954-09-28)28 September 1954 | 60 years, 5 days | 4 years, 342 days | 64 years, 347 days | Living | 70 years, 154 days (Living) |
| 43 | Ann Linde | (1961-12-04)4 December 1961 | 57 years, 280 days | 3 years, 38 days | 60 years, 318 days | Living | 63 years, 87 days (Living) |
| 44 | Tobias Billström | (1973-12-27)27 December 1973 | 48 years, 295 days | 1 years, 328 days | 50 years, 258 days | Living | 51 years, 64 days (Living) |
| 45 | Maria Malmer Stenergard | (1981-03-23)23 March 1981 | 43 years, 171 days | 172 days (Ongoing) | Incumbent | Living | 43 years, 343 days (Living) |