On 3 May, over 400 Centerpartiet members unanimously elected Anna-Karin Hatt as party leader at an extraordinary Congress in Stockholm.
In her inauguration speech, Hatt placed particular emphasis on climate policy as a priority issue for Centerpartiet, an issue that will determine whether the party can support any future government.
“We in Centerpartiet take the climate issue seriously. Any government that includes Centerpartiet will be a government that puts effective climate work first. Our task is to come together as a team, and work as a team. To talk more about what we want to achieve, and seek strong support for it. You can call it a new start for the Centre Party, which I will lead. But we will do the actual work together. That's how we build the Centre Party as a strong green, liberal force in politics,” she said.
Hatt has a long history with Centerpartiet, having worked closely with several of its party leaders and serving as the party’s chief negotiator in coalition governments.
She served in two consecutive Swedish governments, first as Minister for IT and Regional Affairs between 2010-11, and then as Minister for IT and Energy between 2011-14.
In recent years, she was the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Swedish Farmers.
Hatt is succeeding Muharrem Demirok after she was nominated by the party’s electoral committee last month.
Members elected Rickard Nordin and Ulrika Heie as the party’s first and second vice chair respectively, while Daniel Bäckström and Ulrika Liljeberg were also elected to the party board.
Photo: Centerpartiet