[2] Next he moved to Norrköping where he worked for a local newspaper entitled Folkbladet.

[1] Then he served as director general of now-defunct Swedish Integration Agency from 1998 to 2000.

[3][4] In 1999 he was named as the secretary general of the Social Democratic Party, replacing Ingela Thalén in the post.

[5] Stjernkvist's term ended in 2004, and he was replaced by Marita Ulvskog as party's secretary general.

[4][6] Following his resignation from the post Stjernkvist has been working as a journalist for the local newspapers in Norrköping.