Gunnar Hedlund; Swedish Opposition Party Leader

Gunnar Hedlund, 89, the longtime leader of the Swedish Center Party and former interior minister. Hedlund entered Parliament in 1942 representing the Farmer’s Party and became party leader in 1949. Two years later he led his party into a coalition government with the Social Democrats and took the post of interior minister. In 1957, the Farmer’s Party left the government, but Hedlund remained popular. In his last election as leader in 1970, the party, which had changed its name to the Swedish Center Party, won almost 20% of the vote, making it the largest party in opposition. After leaving politics, Hedlund made a second career as chairman and manager of several forestry companies. In Stockholm on Sunday.