Election Guide 2002 - Sweden.se

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and, of course, bandy. He has been Chairman
of the Jönköping branch of the National
Defence Society since 1992. In 1993 he
became one of the Vice-Chairmen of the
EUCD (European Union of Christian
Democrats), the European joint organisation
of Christian Democratic parties, which in
turn is affiliated to the Christian Democratic
International, CDI.
In 1996 Alf Svensson was awarded the
Telia Prize for public speaking.
Alf Svensson is the author of three
books: I Tiden – Från motvind till uppvindar
(1984). Poletik (1990) and Här kommer
Alf Svensson (2001).
History
The Party was formed in 1964 as the Christian
Democratic Coalition Party (KDS). Its first chairman
was Birger Ekstedt. Following his death in 1972, Alf
Svensson was elected Party Chairman in January 1973,
an appointment which he still holds.
The party’s electoral following was relatively modest
for many years, fluctuating between 1.4 and 1.9% between
1964 and 1982. In the 1985 election the party entered
into electoral co-operation with the Centre Party,
polling 2.6% within the electoral cartel and gaining one
seat in the Riksdag. Alf Svensson was elected. The
electoral co-operation ended before the 1988 election,
when the party polled 2.9% and failed to enter the
Riksdag. The 1991 election proved to be a breakthrough,
with the Christian Democrats polling 7.1% of
the votes, gaining 26 seats in the Riksdag and taking office