politician who was prime minister of Sweden (1976–78, 1979–82).

Largely self-educated, he passed his examination for leaving school in 1945. Active within the Centre Party (formerly the Agrarian Party) from his youth, he became its leader in 1971. He rapidly transformed and enlarged it by adopting a pro-environment and antinuclear platform that had considerable appeal. First elected to the Riksdag (parliament) in 1958, he lost his seat in 1964 but regained it in 1967. He served on several standing committees of the Riksdag and was a deputy member of the Nordic Council. In becoming prime minister he overturned (if briefly) a Socialist control of government that had lasted since 1932.