{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Short description|Swedish politician (born 1975)}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Birgitta Ohlsson |image = Birgitta Ohlsson.EU-dagen2011 1c379 6285.jpg |caption = Ohlsson in 2011 |office = Minister for European Union Affairsand Democracy |prime_minister = Fredrik Reinfeldt |term_start = 2 February 2010 |term_end = 3 October 2014 |predecessor = Cecilia Malmström (European Union Affairs)<br>Nyamko Sabuni (Democracy) |successor = ''Office abolished'' (European Union Affairs)<br>Alice Bah Kuhnke (Democracy) |office2 = Leader of the Liberal Youth of Sweden |term_start2 = 1999 |term_end2 = 2002 |predecessor2 = Erik Ullenhag |successor2 = Fredrik Malm |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|07|20|df=y}} |birth_place = Linköping, Sweden |party = Liberals |spouse = Mark Klamberg |alma_mater = Stockholm University }} '''Eva Birgitta Ohlsson Klamberg''' (born 20 July 1975) is a Swedish politician who was Minister for European Union Affairs in the Swedish government from 2010 to 2014. She was a member of the Liberals, formerly the Liberal People's Party. Birgitta Ohlsson serves as the National Democratic Institute's director of political parties.<ref>[https://www.ndi.org/people/birgitta-ohlsson NDI, Birgitta Ohlsson, Director political parties] 15 October 2022</ref>
In June 2017, Ohlsson challenged incumbent party leader Jan Björklund to become the next leader at the congress in November 2017.<ref>[http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/nEdbx/birgitta-ohlsson-utmanar-jan-bjorklund-om-partiledarposten Ohlsson challenges Björklund about party leadership (in Swedish)] 1 June 2017</ref> On 15 September 2017, following results from the 'test election' in Stockholm County, Ohlsson announced she was to relinquish her leadership bid and to leave the political arena by the next general election in 2018.<ref>[http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/birgitta-ohlsson-lamnar-politiken-/ Birgitta Ohlsson to leave the political arena] 15 September 2017</ref>
== Early life and education == Birgitta Ohlsson was born on 20 July 1975 in Linköping, Östergötland County, Sweden.<ref name=cv>{{cite web |title=Birgitta Ohlsson – CV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605044144/http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/12720/a/138931|archive-date=5 June 2011|url=http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/12720/a/138931 |publisher=Government of Sweden |date=2 February 2010 |accessdate=5 February 2010}}</ref> She received her upper secondary (''gymnasium'') education at Katedralskolan in Linköping between 1991 and 1994.<ref name=cv/> Between 1994 and 1997 she studied political science, international relations and United Nations studies at Stockholm University.<ref name=cv/>
== Career == Between 1997 and 1999 Ohlsson worked as an editorial writer for several liberal newspapers in Sweden, such as ''Sundsvalls Tidning'', ''Vestmanlands Läns Tidning'', ''Västerbottens-Kuriren'' and ''Dagens Nyheter''.<ref name=cv/> Between 1999 and 2002 she was chair of the Liberal Youth of Sweden, the youth wing of the Liberal People's Party.<ref name=cv/>
In the 2002 general election Ohlsson was elected a member of the Swedish parliament, representing the Stockholm Municipality constituency.<ref name=cv/> In the parliament she served as a substitute to the Committee on the Labour Market (2002–2006) and the Committee on Foreign Affairs (2002–2004), and as a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (2006–2010).<ref>{{cite web |title=Birgitta Ohlsson (fp) |url=http://www.riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=1811&iid=0404025497421 |publisher=Parliament of Sweden |date= |accessdate=5 February 2010}}</ref> In the parliament she was also her party's spokesperson on foreign affairs.<ref name=cv/>
She has also held various voluntary assignments, such as chair of the Association of Liberal Students in Stockholm (1996–1998), deputy chair of Young European Federalists in Sweden (1998), member of the board of the Swedish International Liberal Centre (since 2001), chair of the Swedish Republican Association (2002–2005), deputy chair of the Sweden–Israel Friendship Association in Stockholm (2003–2005), member of the national board of the Liberal People's Party (since 2007) and chair of the Federation of Liberal Women (2007–2010).<ref name=cv/> She is also part of the Elie Wiesel Network of Parliamentarians for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities and against Genocide Denial.<ref>[http://www.egam.eu/members-of-the-elie-wiesel-network/ Members of the Elie Wiesel Network] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521124642/http://www.egam.eu/members-of-the-elie-wiesel-network/ |date=21 May 2019 }} European Grassroots Antiracist Movement (EGAM).</ref>
On 2 February 2010 Ohlsson was appointed as new Minister for European Union Affairs in the Swedish government, succeeding Cecilia Malmström.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Birgitta Ohlsson appointed new Minister for EU Affairs |url=http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/12632/a/138915 |publisher=Government of Sweden |date=2 February 2010 |accessdate=5 February 2010}}</ref>
From 2018 until 2019, Ohlsson served on an Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct, Accountability and Culture Change at Oxfam, co-chaired by Zainab Bangura and Katherine Sierra.<ref>[https://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases/2018-03-16/oxfam-announces-zainab-bangura-and-katherine-sierra-co-lead Oxfam announces Zainab Bangura and Katherine Sierra to co-lead Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326190036/https://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases/2018-03-16/oxfam-announces-zainab-bangura-and-katherine-sierra-co-lead |date=26 March 2019 }} Oxfam, press release of 16 March 2018.</ref>
Ohlsson later returned to politics as a candidate for the Centre Party in the 2026 general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nilsson |first=Mimmi |last2=Lindvall |first2=Julia |date=2026-03-18 |title=Birgitta Ohlsson kandiderar för Centerpartiet i valet |url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/birgitta-ohlsson-kandiderar-for-centerpartiet-i-valet |access-date=2026-03-18 |website=SVT Nyheter |language=sv}}</ref>
== Personal life == {{Anchor|Mark Klamberg}}Birgitta Ohlsson is married to Mark Klamberg, a Ph.D. and professor of international law at Stockholm University.<ref>[https://www.su.se/english/profiles/makl8474-1.254039 Stockholm University ] 24 June 2019</ref>
== References == <references/>
== External links == {{Commons category|Birgitta Ohlsson}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100315063732/http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/12720 Birgitta Ohlsson] at the Swedish government's website *[http://www.riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=1811&iid=0404025497421 Birgitta Ohlsson] at the Swedish parliament's website *[http://www.folkpartiet.se/FPTemplates/PersonalPage____13154.aspx Birgitta Ohlsson] at the Liberal People's Party's website {{in lang|sv}} *[http://www.birgitta.nu/ Birgitta.nu], personal website and blog {{in lang|sv}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Erik Ullenhag}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairperson of the Liberal Youth of Sweden|years=1999–2002}} {{s-aft|after=Fredrik Malm}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Cecilia Malmström}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for European Union Affairs|years=2010–2014}} {{s-vac|next=Ann Linde}} |- {{s-bef|rows=2|before=Nyamko Sabuni}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Democracy|years=2010–2014}} {{s-aft|after=Alice Bah Kuhnke}} |- {{s-ttl|title=Minister for Consumer Affairs|years=2010–2014}} {{s-aft|after=Per Bolund}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohlsson, Birgitta}} Category:1975 births Category:21st-century Swedish women politicians Category:Living people Category:Members of the Riksdag 2002–2006 Category:Members of the Riksdag 2006–2010 Category:Members of the Riksdag 2010–2014 Category:Members of the Riksdag 2014–2018 Category:Members of the Riksdag from the Liberals (Sweden) Category:People from Linköping Category:Stockholm University alumni Category:Swedish bloggers Category:Swedish feminists Category:Swedish republicans Category:Swedish women bloggers Category:Women government ministers of Sweden Category:Women members of the Riksdag