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Maria Leissner

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Maria Leissner
Leissner in 2016.
Born
Annika Maria Leissner

(1956-01-21) 21 January 1956 (age 69)
Gothenburg, Sweden
EducationUppsala University
Occupation(s)Politician, diplomat
Years active1981–
Political partyLiberals
PartnerHans Holmgren (1982; died 1996)

Annika Maria Leissner (born 21 January 1956) is a Swedish politician and former party leader of the Swedish Liberal People's Party (1995–97).[1]

Early life

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Leissner was born on 21 January 1956 in Gothenburg, Sweden, the son of Pehr Leissner, a doctor, and his wife Ulla (née Hallberg), a sociologist.[2] She completed studies in Gothenburg and at Uppsala University (international economics) from 1975 to 1980.[2]

Career

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Leissner was the federal secretary of the People's Party Youth League from 1981 to 1983 and its federal chairman from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, he worked as an organizational secretary for Rädda Barnen. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Liberal People's Party from 1985 to 1991 and became the party leader in 1995.[2]

Leissner was chairman of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan from 1991 to 1995 and the Women Can Foundation (Stiftelsen Kvinnor kan) from 1993 to 1995.[2] She served as the Swedish ambassador in Guatemala City from 2000 to 2004, with additional accreditations in Belmopan, San José (from 2001), San Salvador, and Tegucigalpa.[3]

In January 2007 she was appointed Ambassador-at-large for Democracy. In April 2012 she was appointed Secretary-General of Community of Democracies.

On 5 October 2017, she took office as Stockholm-based ambassador of Sweden to Benin.[4]

Personal life

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From 1982 to 1996, Leissner was in a domestic partnership with Hans Holmgren (1982–1996), the son of civil engineer Karl Olof Holmgren and Ingrid (née Stener).[2]

Bibliography

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  • En generösare invandrar- och flyktingpolitik (1988)
  • Democracy promotion in a transatlantic perspective (2009)

References

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  1. ^ "Maria Leissner". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Jönsson, Lena, ed. (2000). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 2001 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 2001] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 672. ISBN 9172850426. SELIBR 8261515.
  3. ^ Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (2004). Sveriges statskalender 2004 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes. pp. 168, 170, 172, 174–175. ISBN 91-38-32120-3. SELIBR 89506762.
  4. ^ "Ny ambassadör i Benin" [New ambassador in Benin] (Press release) (in Swedish). Ministry for Foreign Affairs. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Swedish Liberal People's Party
1995–1997
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Peter Örn
Chairperson of the Liberal Youth of Sweden
1983–1985
Succeeded by
Thorbjörn Pettersson
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Staffan Wrigstad
Ambassador of Sweden to Guatemala
2000–2004
Succeeded by
Eivor Halkjaer
Preceded by
Staffan Wrigstad
Ambassador of Sweden to Belize
2000–2004
Succeeded by
Eivor Halkjaer
Preceded by
Staffan Wrigstad
Ambassador of Sweden to Honduras
2000–2004
Succeeded by
Eivor Halkjaer
Preceded by
Staffan Wrigstad
Ambassador of Sweden to El Salvador
2000–2004
Succeeded by
Eivor Halkjaer
Preceded by
Klas Markensten
Ambassador of Sweden to Costa Rica
2001–2004
Succeeded by
Eivor Halkjaer
Preceded by
?
Ambassador of Sweden to Benin
2017–?
Succeeded by
?