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Christian Democrat leader Gran Hgglund is quitting politics. Photo: TT

Gran Hgglund, the leader of one of Sweden's four centre-right opposition Alliance parties has resigned, insisting it had nothing to do with the controversial December Agreement that the Alliance struck with the government.

The Christan Democrat leader, who has been at the helm of his party for more than a decade, announced his departure at a press conference on Thursday morning.

"Eleven years as party leader takes its toll," he told reporters, adding that he would step down in the spring once his party had appointed a successor.

"There have been many great years. I have learned a lot and met many amazing people," he said.

The Christian Democrat party is the smallest party in the Swedish parliament. It is one of four parties in the Alliance - the bloc of four centre-right parties that made up the previous centre-right coalition government led by Fredrik Reinfeldt.

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Christian Democrat party leader quits politics

By Matt Fuller Posted at 5:11 p.m. on Jan. 29

Levinsaid Congress needs more transparency from Obama on the Pacific trade deal. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

PHILADELPHIA As Congress and the White House work on a trade agreement with Pacific countries, a key Democrat in the negotiations is criticizing the Obama administration for a lack of transparency and more specifically, a lack of access to the actual text.

Ways and Means ranking Democrat Sander M. Levin told reporters assembled at a hotel conference room roundtable that the White House was not allowing members of Congress to know what is being offered by which countries in an emerging trade deal.

I should say it isnt broadly known, Levin said. I may have more information.

Humblebrags aside, Levin emphasized the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is an emerging trade deal with 12 Pacific countries.We need to get it right, the Michigan Democratsaid. And to get it right, we need to know whats in it.

Levin called the situation a failure of access.

Levin said he and his Republican counterpart, Ways and Means Chairman Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, told the administration it needs to shape up on transparency.

We need to join hands with this administration, he said. Levin seemed to consider that sentence. It didnt seem right. They have to join hands with us, he clarified.

The TPP has been a major question in Congress. Democrats say they are open togiving the president the authority to sign the trade deal, but they have concerns. Specifically, Levin mentionsprovisionstoincrease agricultural exports toPacific countries, access to Japans auto market, the inclusion of currency manipulation safeguards in the trade deal, and enforceable worker and environmental standards something which Levin said was the biggest problem with the North American Free Trade Agreement.

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Key Democrat Criticizes Obama on Trade Negotiations

Senate Finally Gets Back to Normal after Disastrous Democrat Reign under Harry Reid.
U.S. Senate Finally Gets Back to Normal after Disastrous Democrat Reign under Harry Reid and Obama #39;s Dick Durban squeals like a pig. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) left Democrats angry and...

By: American Born Republic

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Senate Finally Gets Back to Normal after Disastrous Democrat Reign under Harry Reid. - Video

Democrat Assails GOP Leader of House Benghazi Committee
Democrats on a special House committee investigating the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, have complained that the panel #39;s Republican chairman has excluded them from crucial steps in...

By: Kate Ross

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Democrat Assails GOP Leader of House Benghazi Committee - Video

Except for a three-day period in late 1991, when Binghamton Democrat James R. Tallon Jr. found himself thrust into the job, the position of speaker of the Assembly has been a decidedly downstate source of power.

Not since the late 1950s and the days of Oswald D. Heck of Schenectady, the longest-serving speaker ever, has an upstater ruled the Assembly, and Heck was a Republican.

Majority Leader Joseph D. Morelle, a suburban Rochester Democrat, is about to alter that 50-year trend, but a huge question remains unanswered.

Will Morelle be another Tallon, a caretaker speaker, or another Heck, a speaker for years?

Theres an old saying around here: Upstate only succeeds when downstate is divided, said Assemblyman Robin L. Schimminger, D-Kenmore, a 37-year veteran of the Assembly.

Morelle, 57, who will be interim speaker until a new one is chosen, is expected to seek the speakership in an expected Feb. 10 election that could include several downstate rivals.

If the field narrows to a single New York City-area Democrat, the conventional wisdom is that Morelles chances dim considerably. The Assemblys Democratic Conference is made up of 105 members, and 62 of them are from downstate.

He knows how to take the temperature of the caucus, former Assemblyman Paul A. Tokasz, a Democrat from Cheektowaga, said of Morelle. He knows the membership. He knows their needs and he knows their policy priorities.

Tokasz, like Morelle, served as majority leader under Speaker Sheldon Silver, the Manhattan Democrat who is being removed from the post in the wake of federal corruption charges against him.

As the Assemblys No.2 leader and one of Silvers closest advisers, Morelle is the natural choice to succeed him in the interim. Assembly rules also require the majority leaders appointment unless a new speaker has been elected.

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Downstate speakers have dominated the Assembly since the late 1950s