▁However , ▁a ▁sc andal ▁mainly ▁concerning ▁ir respons ible ▁use ▁of ▁her ▁R ik sd ag ▁credit ▁card ▁and ▁un pa id ▁par king ▁tick ets ▁forced ▁her ▁to ▁withdraw ▁her ▁candid acy ▁that ▁same ▁fall . ▁The ▁search ▁continued ▁and ▁Jan ▁N yman , ▁Ing ela ▁Th al én ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Gö ran ▁Pers son ▁became ▁the ▁new ▁possible ▁candidates , ▁but ▁all ▁of ▁them ▁decl ined ▁to ▁run ▁when ▁approached ▁by ▁the ▁election ▁board . ▁ ▁After ▁repeatedly ▁decl ining ▁to ▁candidate ▁Gö ran ▁Pers son ▁suddenly ▁changed ▁his ▁mind , ▁accepted ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁new ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁and ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁Sweden ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁Gö ran ▁Pers son ▁inherited ▁a ▁party ▁with ▁a ▁solid ▁representation ▁in ▁the ▁parliament , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁election ▁more ▁than ▁ 4 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vot ers ▁had ▁given ▁his ▁prede cess or ▁their ▁vote . ▁Still ▁not ▁leading ▁a ▁party ▁with ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁parliament , ▁Gö ran ▁Pers son ▁re lied ▁on ▁parliament ary ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁Centre ▁Party ▁when ▁out lin ing ▁his ▁politics . ▁He ▁launched ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁critic ized ▁cut - back ▁programs , ▁def ending ▁them ▁in ▁a ▁famous ▁speech ▁to ▁the ▁parliament ▁starting ▁with ▁the ▁expression ▁" One ▁who ▁is ▁in ▁deb t ▁is ▁not ▁free ". ▁ ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁manage ▁to ▁conv ince ▁the ▁vot ers ▁however ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8