Pål Jonson

Pål Jonson
Jonson in 2025
Minister for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 October 2022
MonarchCarl XVI Gustaf
Prime MinisterUlf Kristersson
Preceded byPeter Hultqvist
Member of the Riksdag
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 October 2016
Preceded byPia Hallström
ConstituencyVärmland County
Personal details
Born (1972-05-30) 30 May 1972
Arvika, Sweden
PartyModerate
Alma mater
Military service
Branch/service Swedish Navy
Years of service1994
RankPrivate (Coastal Ranger)
UnitVaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment (KA1)

Pål Henning Jonson (born 30 May 1972)[1] is a Swedish politician of the Moderate Party. He has served as Minister for Defence in the cabinet of Ulf Kristersson since 2022.[2][3]

Biography

Jonson was born on 30 May 1972, in Älgå on the northwestern shore of Lake Glafsfjord (Göta-Älv basin). His parents, Bo Jonson and Marya Jonson, were farmers.[4]

In 1991, Jonson graduated from the sports gymnasium in Lycksele. In 1998 he graduated from Georgetown University, where he studied international politics and received a bachelor's degree. He graduated with a Master of Arts in European politics from the College of Europe in 1999.[4] In 2005, he completed his Ph.D. in military science from King's College London.[4]

He worked as an analyst at the Swedish Defence Research Agency from 2000 to 2005 and was head of the Moderate Party's office in the European Parliament from 2005 to 2006. He served as political advisor within the Ministry of Defence from 2006 to 2007 and as political advisor on foreign affairs for the Moderate Party in the Riksdag from 2007 to 2012. He was a visiting researcher at the NATO Defense College (NDC) in 2009.

Jonson was Communications Director of the Swedish Security & Defence Industry Association (Sv: Säkerhets- och försvarsföretagen) and Secretary-General of the Swedish Atlantic Council from 2013 to 2016.[4]

Jonson was elected to the municipal council in Arvika Municipality for the Moderate Party in 2006 and was chairman of the Moderate Party in Värmland County from 2010 to 2012. Following the death of Pia Hallström in 2016,[5] Jonson succeeded her as member of the Riksdag for the Värmland County constituency.

Minister for Defence (2022–present)

As Minister for Defence, Jonson oversaw Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Sweden deposited its instrument of accession on 7 March 2024, becoming NATO’s 32nd member, followed by a flag-raising at NATO Headquarters on 11 March 2024.[6][7][8]

In 2024 Sweden met NATO’s 2% of GDP defence-spending guideline, according to NATO estimates. For 2025, the Government projected appropriations for the military defence of SEK 138 billion. In June 2025, the Riksdag approved borrowing of SEK 300 billion to accelerate force growth, ammunition stocks and air defence, with officials describing a trajectory toward around 3.5% of GDP by the early 2030s.[9][10][11]

Under Jonson, Sweden expanded and systematised military support to Ukraine. On 11 September 2025, the Government presented a framework of SEK 40 billion for military support in both 2026 and 2027.[12] Earlier packages included the transfer of Stridsvagn 122 (Leopard 2A5) tanks and, in May 2024, a pledge to donate two ASC 890 airborne surveillance and control aircraft.[13][14] In May 2024, reports stated that Sweden places no geographic restrictions on the use of donated weapons beyond international law.[15][16]

Jonson oversaw the negotiation and implementation of the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the United States, signed on 5 December 2023 and in force from 15 August 2024. The DCA enables U.S. access to agreed facilities in Sweden (17 locations) and pre-positioning under the NATO SOFA framework.[17][18][19] Implementation advanced in 2025, including a first infrastructure agreement signed between U.S. European Command and the Swedish Armed Forces on 3 June 2025.[20] In parallel, Sweden entered the U.S. State Partnership Program with the New York National Guard on 12 July 2024; subsequent exchanges have focused on training and capability development.[21][22][23]

Honours

References

  1. ^ Sveriges befolkning 1980, CD-ROM, version 1.00 (Sveriges Släktforskarförbund 2004).
  2. ^ "Sweden's new Government". Government of Sweden. 18 October 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  3. ^ Sweden, Radio (18 October 2022). "Ulf Kristersson names ministers in his three-party government". Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "Pål Jonson (M)". Sveriges Riksdagen (in Swedish). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Pål Jonson (M) ny riksdagsledamot". Sveriges Radio P4 Värmland (in Swedish). 24 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Sweden officially joins NATO". NATO. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Swedish flag raised at NATO Headquarters". NATO. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Swedish flag raised at NATO headquarters". Government.se. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2014–2024)" (PDF). NATO. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Military budget". Government.se. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Sweden parliament backs $31 billion borrowing to boost defence". Reuters. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  12. ^ "New military support package to Ukraine worth over SEK 9 billion". Government.se (Press release). 11 September 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Swedish main battle tank "Stridsvagn 122" on site in Ukraine". Swedish Armed Forces. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  14. ^ "Military support package 16 to Ukraine – new capability to strengthen Ukraine's air defence". Government.se (Press release). 29 May 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Swedish minister on Kyiv striking Russian soil with Western arms". The Kyiv Independent. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Sweden backs Ukraine's right to hit Russian territory". The New Voice of Ukraine. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  17. ^ "Sweden (24-815) – Defense Cooperation Agreement". U.S. Department of State. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  18. ^ "Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States". Government.se. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  19. ^ "New defence cooperation agreement between Sweden and the US". Swedish Armed Forces. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  20. ^ "An important milestone in the defense cooperation with the USA". Swedish Armed Forces. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  21. ^ "Sweden enters into partnership with the state of New York". Government.se (Press release). 12 July 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  22. ^ "New York National Guard Enters State Partnership with Sweden". U.S. National Guard. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  23. ^ "New York National Guard Members Train with Swedish Partners". U.S. National Guard. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  24. ^ "Bearers of Decorations". president.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 May 2023.
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