In 1989 he was made Minister of Schools in the Ministry of Education during the first Ingvar Carlsson cabinet, until the election in 1991 when the Social Democrats were voted out of office.
I 1989 blev han undervisningsminister i Ingvar Carlssons første kabinet, og det varede indtil valget i 1991, da Socialdemokraterne blev stemt ud af regeringskontorerne.