Birgitta Dahl is dead – former Speaker and Social Democrat

The Social Democrat and former Speaker Birgitta Dahl is dead, the party announces.

She was 87 years old.

“Mother’s experience was that she lived a long, exciting and meaningful life,” the family says in a statement.

Birgitta Dahl was a Member of Parliament for the Social Democrats between 1969 and 2002.

She also had assignments as Deputy Minister of Industry and Minister of the Environment and Energy before she was given the role of Speaker of the Riksdag between 1994 and 2002.

She is best known for having pushed through parental insurance, a ban on babysitting and preschool for all.

In an interview with Aftonbladet, she told us that the proposals she put forward were described as “pranks”.

– The general attitude was that I caused trouble. It was very hard, but I’m a fighter.

On Tuesday evening she died, aged 87.

“Mother had a bad heart for many years. We have therefore talked a lot about life ending at some point. For us in the family, it was clear that mother’s experience was that she lived a long, exciting and meaningful life. She felt that she had done her part and that she was done. She was prepared and calm in the face of death,” the family said in a statement.

S leader Magdalena Andersson mourns Dahl’s death.

“It is with sadness that I heard that Birgitta Dahl has passed away. She was a forerunner. A respected and courageous politician, who was central to Sweden’s active stance on climate and environmental issues, and pushed through decisions that improved the lives of all women in Sweden,” says Andersson and continues:

“Through her work and her person, Birgitta Dahl was an important role model for me personally, as well as for many others. My thoughts are now with her family.”

Member of Parliament and former Minister of Justice Morgan Johansson describes the news as “extremely sad”.

“A legendary politician who will forever be remembered for his passionate commitment to peace, the environment and gender equality. Indomitable. Thoughts go out to her relatives. Rest in peace, Birgitta,” he writes on X.

The text is updated.