Former Swedish communist leader Hermansson dies at 98

STOCKHOLM — Carl-Henrik Hermansson, who led Sweden’s communist party as it broke its allegiance to the Soviet Union, has died. He was 98.

The party, now known as the Left Party, said Hermansson died early Tuesday. It didn’t reveal the cause of death.

Hermansson was party chairman 1964-75 and stayed in Parliament for 10 more years.

During his leadership the party distanced itself from the Soviet Union, which prompted Moscow loyalists to leave the group.

Hermansson strongly criticized the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and regretted his earlier praise for Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

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The party continued its transformation after Hermansson and dropped the communist label in 1990. It’s now Sweden’s sixth biggest party, with 20 seats in the 349-seat Riksdag.

Hermansson is survived by his two daughters and their families.

The Associated Press