Gösta Ingvar Carlsson (born 9 November 1934) is a Swedish politician, former Prime Minister of Sweden (1986 – 1991; 1994 – 1996) and leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party (1986 – 1996).

Carlsson was born in Borås, Västra Götaland County (then Älvsborg County), Sweden. Carlsson has a diploma in business economics and a degree in polical science from Lund University. In Lund he met with Tage Erlander, the Swedish prime minister and his aid Olof Palme, later to become Erlanders successor.

After finishing studies Carlsson got a job in Erlander's staff. In 1965, after completing further studies at Northwestern University in Illinois in the United States, he was elected a member of the Swedish Parliament. In the same year, he also became leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League. He held the following ministerial posts: Minister of Education 1969 - 1973, Minister of Housing 1973 - 1976, Deputy Prime Minister 1982 - 1986 and following the assassination of Olof Palme in 1986 Ingvar Carlsson became the new Prime Minister or Statsminister and party leader. In 1990 the Carlsson cabinet resigned after failing to gain majority for economic reforms, but was reinstated immediately with a slightly changed agenda.

The Social Democrats lost the elections in 1991, but Carlsson returned to power after the elections in 1994 and was succeeded by Göran Persson both as Prime Minister and party leader in 1996.

With Shridath Ramphal, he was in 1995 one of the co-chairs of the Commission on Global Governance, which reported on issues of international development, international security, globalization and global governance.

His career has been shaped by the heritage of Olof Palme, with whom he worked closely, but his policies are more seen as being a continuation of the legacy established by Tage Erlander.