Christian Lundeberg

Christian Lundeberg (* July 14, 1842 in Valbo, † November 10, 1911 in Stockholm) was a Swedish politician and briefly Prime Minister.

Background and employment

The son of a mill owner graduated from the Military School of Ultuna. Subsequently, he served from 1861 to 1874 in the Army, where he most recently was promoted to senior lieutenant. After his military service, he was an employee of the Forsbacka steel works, in which he worked until 1906 as Chief Executive Officer from 1885.

Member of Parliament and President of the First Chamber

Lundeberg began his political career in 1885 as a Member of the First Chamber of the Diet, in which he was elected chairman of the Conservative Group and protectionists 1899. In this capacity he was one of the leaders during the so-called Union crisis between Sweden and Norway. In particular, he played a key role as chairman of a secret committee share in the resignation of the government of Johan Ramstedt. Between 1899 and 1905, and again from 1906 to 1908 he was Vice President of the First Chamber of the Reichstag. From 1909 until his death he served as President of the First Chamber of the Diet.

Prime Minister 1905

Oscar II appointed him on August 2, 1905 the Prime Minister. He formed a coalition government which had come to an agreement with Norway. Norway was finally allowed to hold a referendum on independence from Sweden, where the Norwegian parliament Storting would take back the declaration of independence was made on June 7, 1905. The Norwegian referendum of August 13, 1905 affirmed with 99.5 percent of the vote, the dissolution of the union with Sweden.

After the dissolution of the union crisis Lundeberg tried in vain to find a sufficient majority for the continuation of his coalition government, in particular to address the open suffrage question. After he had no sufficient support found, he resigned on 8 November 1905.