Editing Olof Palme (section)

== Early political career ==
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[[File:Olof Palme 1957.jpg|thumb|left|Palme in 1957]]

In 1953, Palme was recruited by social democratic prime minister [[Tage Erlander]] to work as his personal secretary,<ref>{{harvnb|Ruin|1989|p=53}}</ref> becoming the first of Erlander's large personal staff, a group of young aides such as [[Ingvar Carlsson]] and [[Bengt K. Å. Johansson]],<ref>{{harvnb|Ruin|1989|p=131}}</ref> a group that became known as "the boys".<ref>{{harvnb|Ruin|1989|p=134}}</ref> From 1955 he was a board member of the [[Swedish Social Democratic Youth League]] and lectured at the Youth League College [[Bommersvik]]. He also was a member of the Worker's Educational Association.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

In 1957 he was elected as a member of parliament (Swedish: ''riksdagsledamot'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palmefonden.se/index.php?page=5|title=Olof Palmes Minnesfond|work=Palme Fonden|access-date=3 February 2015}}</ref> represented [[Jönköping]] County in the directly elected [[Andra kammaren|Second Chamber (''Andra kammaren'')]] of the [[Parliament of Sweden|Riksdag]]. In the early 1960s Palme became a member of the [[Agency for International Assistance (NIB)]] and was in charge of inquiries into assistance to the developing countries and educational aid.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} In 1963, he became a member of the Cabinet as [[minister without portfolio]] in the Cabinet Office,<ref>{{harvnb|Ruin|1989|p=133}}</ref> and retained his duties as a close political adviser to Prime Minister [[Tage Erlander]]. In 1965, he became [[Minister for Infrastructure (Sweden)|Minister of Communications]].<ref name=":NYTimesAristocrat">{{Cite web|title=Olof Palme, Aristocrat Turned Socialist, Dominated The Politics Of Sweden|work=The New York Times|date=1 March 1986|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/01/obituaries/olof-palme-aristocrat-turned-socialist-dominated-the-politics-of-sweden.html|accessdate=26 August 2023}}</ref> One issue of special interest to him was the further development of radio and television, while ensuring their independence from commercial interests.<ref name="Httpwwwunostampsnlperson_palmehtm" /> In 1967 he became [[Minister of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs]],<ref name=":NYTimesAristocrat" /> and the following year, he became [[Minister for Education (Sweden)|Minister for Education]] and was the target of strong criticism from left-wing students protesting against the government's plans for university reform. The protests culminated with the [[occupation of the Student Union Building]] in Stockholm; Palme came there and tried to comfort the students, urging them to use democratic methods for the pursuit of their cause.<ref>[[Olof Palme – En levande vilja: Tal och intervjuer]]</ref> On 21 February 1968, Palme participated in a protest in Stockholm against U.S. involvement in the [[Vietnam War|war in Vietnam]] together with the North Vietnamese ambassador to the Soviet Union, [[Nguyễn Thọ Chân]]. The protest was organized by the [[Swedish Committee for Vietnam]] and Palme and Nguyen were both invited as speakers. As a result of this, the U.S. recalled [[United States Ambassador to Sweden|its Ambassador]] from Sweden and Palme was fiercely criticised by the opposition for his participation in the protest.<ref name=vietnam>{{cite web |url=http://www.olofpalme.org/ingangar/tema/vietnam/|title=Olof Palme och Vietnamfrågan 1965–1983|access-date=27 February 2008|last=Andersson|first=Stellan|publisher=OlofPalme.org|language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Vivekanandan|2016|p=83}}</ref>

[[File:Olof Palme 1968.JPG|thumb|left|Palme in 1968]]
When party leader Tage Erlander stepped down in 1969, Palme was elected as the new leader by the Social Democratic party congress and asked by king [[Gustaf VI Adolf]] to form a government and succeed Erlander as Prime Minister.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Olof-Palme|title=Olof Palme &#124; Biography, Assassination, & Facts &#124; Britannica|date=29 January 2025|website=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> Prior to the selection of Palme, [[President of Finland]] [[Urho Kekkonen]] asked Erlander who his successor would be, and Erlander gave evasive answers. Kekkonen then asked if it would be Palme, to which Erlander responded, "Never, he is far too intelligent for a Prime Minister".<ref>{{harvnb|Vivekanandan|2016|pp=91–92}}</ref> Palme was later asked when Erlander first hinted to him that he wanted him to succeed him. Palme stated, "It never happened."<ref>{{harvnb|Ruin|1989|p=61}}</ref>

Palme was very popular among the left, but harshly detested by liberals and conservatives.<ref>Einhorn, Eric and John Logue (1989). ''Modern Welfare States: Politics and Policies in Social Democratic Scandinavia''. Praeger Publishers, pg 60. {{ISBN|0-275-93188-9}} "Olof Palme was perhaps the most 'presidential' Scandinavian leader in recent decades, a fact that may have made him vulnerable to political violence."</ref> This was due in part to his international activities, especially those directed against the US foreign policy, and in part to his aggressive and outspoken debating style.<ref>[https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/han-godslade-jorden-sa-att-palmehatet-kunde-vaxa/ "Han gödslade jorden så att Palmehatet kunde växa"], ''[[Dagens Nyheter]]'', 25 February 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3154&date=20060227 Olof Palme: the controversy lives on] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206013818/http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3154&date=20060227 |date=6 December 2007 }}, ''[[The Local]]'', 27 February 2006</ref>