Thage G. Peterson

Thage Edvin Gerhard Peterson (born 24 September 1933) is a Swedish politician (Social Democrat).

Peterson was one of the leading Swedish Social Democrats in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a member of parliament from 1971 to 1998, its speaker from 1988 to 1991, and served in several ministerial posts from 1975 to 1976, 1982 to 1988 and 1994 to 1998, most notably as minister of industry from 1982 to 1988 and as minister of defence from 1994 to 1997.

Early life
Peterson was born on 24 September 1933 in Berg, Kronoberg County, Sweden, the son of Edvin Peterson, a churchwarden, and his wife Martina (née Jonasson). He worked as an agricultural labourer from 1947 to 1951 and graduated from the South Swedish School of Social Work in Lund in 1957.

Early career
Peterson worked as a municipal accountant from 1957 to 1958 and at the National Organization of People's Hall Societies (Folkets Husföreningarnas Riksorganisation) from 1958 to 1964. He worked as national secretary and vice chairman of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League from 1964 to 1967, as head of the People's Hall and CEO of the National Organization of People's Hall Societies from 1967 to 1971.

Political career
Peterson was first elected a member of parliament in 1971. He first served as state secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (Statsrådsberedningen) from 1971 to 1975, and then as minister without portfolio, responsible for government coordination in Palme I Cabinet from 1975 to 1976. When the Social Democrats returned to power following the 1982 election, Peterson was made minister of industry, and remained on this post until 1988, in the Palme II Cabinet and the Carlsson I Cabinet. In addition, he briefly served as acting minister for justice and head of the Ministry of Justice in 1988 following the resignation of Anna-Greta Leijon. Peterson then served as Speaker of the Riksdag from 1988 to 1991.

Peterson was chairman of the Committee on the Constitution from 1991 to 1994, and following the 1994 election, he returned to the Carlsson III Cabinet as minister of defence and head of the Ministry of Defence, and remained in this post until 1997. He then served as minister in the Prime Minister's Office from 1997 to 1998.

Peterson was a member of the War Delegation from 1982 to 1998 and of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs from 1988 to 1997. He was vice chairman of the National Swedish Touring Theatre from 1967 to 1972, municipal council in Nacka from 1967 to 1974, chairman in government inquiries, board member of A-Pressen from 1973 to 1975, member of the executive committee of the Swedish Social Democratic Party board from 1975 to 1990, chairman of Stockholm County social democratic party district from 1974 to 1989, member of the Riksdag from 1971 to 1998, Board of Governors of the Sveriges Riksbank from 1976 to 1982, and a member of the Nordic Council from 1976 to 1982.

Personal life
In 1962, Peterson married Marion Karlsson (born 1935), the daughter of Thure Karlsson and Lisa (née Johansson).

Awards and decorations

 * Illis quorum (1998)