He was for many years, he served as the chairman (commissioner) of the Gothenburg Municipality Executive Board. With a working class background, he was a union leader at his workplace at SKF and later became the Social Democratic Party's "strong man" in Gothenburg.
Johansson served as Mayor of Gothenberg from 1988 through 1991.
He was one of the best known politicians in Sweden. H has been voted as one of the most popular politicians. But he has also been criticized for an undemocratic leadership which has made several – especially female – politicians leave their assignments within the Social Democratic Party.