Junker Party

The Junker Party (Swedish: Junkerpartiet) was a grouping in Swedish politics in the 1850s, although it never constituted an actual party. The Junkers were conservative nobles who, in opposition to August von Hartmansdorff [sv], wished to maintain the privileges of the nobility. In other respects, the Junkers represented a conservative political stance, for example on the issue of representation – they sought to maintain the Riksdag of the Estates as opposed to forming a parliamentary system of government, the Riksdag. To this end they aligned themselves with wealthy farmers.[1] However, the party's conservative stance had some exceptions regarding customs policy, where they were more free-trade oriented. Crown Prince Charles, later Charles XV, drew his closest advisors from the Junker Party, his connection "making him suspect among liberals".[2]

The first leader of the Junker Party was Otto Palmstierna [sv], soon replaced by Henning Hamilton. Other notable supporters include Gustaf Lagerbjelke, Gillis Bildt and Erik Josias Sparre [sv].[3]

See also

• Estates of the Realm
• History of the Riksdag
• Politics of Sweden

References

Notes

1. Bengtsson, Erik (2022-10-02). "The social origins of democracy in Sweden: the role of agrarian politics". Social History. 47 (4): 419–445. doi:10.1080/03071022.2022.2112865. ISSN 0307-1022. S2CID 252756065.
2. Holmberg, Åke. "Karl XV". Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2023-04-06. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
3. Carlquist, Gunnar, ed. (1933). Svensk uppslagsbok (in Swedish). Vol. 14. Malmö: Svensk Uppslagsbok AB. p. 736.

Sources

• Nationalencyklopedin
• Bonniers konversationslexikon

Further reading

• Förhammar, Staffan (1975). Reformvilja eller riksdagstaktik?: junkrarna och representationsfrågan 1847–54 [A will to reform or parliamentary tactics? : the junkers and the issue of representational reform, 1847–1854]. Stockholm studies in history (in Swedish). Vol. 22. Stockholm. ISSN 0491-0842.