The Anders Fogh Rasmussen Government

The general election on 20 November 2001, which brought the Anders Fogh Rasmussen Government into power, was dramatic: for the first time since 1920 the Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokratiet) lost its position as the country’s largest party. This position was taken over by Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s Liberal Party (Venstre). At the same time, the election marginalised the centre parties, which previously had often determined the government power in Danish politics. On the other hand, the election was a breakthrough for the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti), which became the third largest party in the Folketing (The Danish Parliament).

The Government, consisting of The Liberal Party and The Conservative People’s Party (Det Konservative Folkeparti), is a minority government. The Liberal Party has 56 seats and the Conservatives 16. To secure a majority in the Folketing, which has 179 members in total, the Government therefore has to collaborate with both the right and the left, including the Danish People’s Party, which provides the Government’s parliamentary basis.

From the left: Mr Bendt Bendtsen, Dr Per Stig Møller and Mr Thor Pedersen. Photo: Lars-K. Crone/crone@lakris.dk.

Prime Minister

Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Liberal), born 26 January 1953, joined The Liberal Party’s youth branch already during upper secondary school and founded the Federation of Liberal Youth as a counterbalance to the leftwing trend after 1968. He was Chairman of The Liberal Party’s youth branch 1974-1976, before graduating in economics at the University of Aarhus and joining the Folketing in 1978. Aged only 25, he was the Folketing’s youngest member. When a non-Socialist government including The Liberal Party was formed in 1982, Fogh Rasmussen became the economic affairs spokesman. At 32, he was elected Deputy Chairman of The Liberal Party in 1985. Two years later he was appointed Minister for Taxation and when he took over the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 1990, he became a key figure in the Government; among other things he was Denmark’s negotiator in relation to the European Economic and Monetary Union.

In 1992 Fogh Rasmussen suffered one of his few defeats: a majority believed that he had given the Folketing inadequate and incorrect information. He disagreed, but resigned as Minister as he did not wish to jeopardise the life of the Government.

A Social Democrat led Government assumed power in January 1993 and as The Liberal Party’s political spokesman 1992-1998, Fogh Rasmussen spearheaded the party in opposition. During his career, he has had some surprising changes of policy. While in the 1970s he wanted to solve Denmark’s serious economic problems through a collaboration between the Social Democrats and The Liberal Party, in the 1980s he became the standard-bearer for a liberal rearmament, influenced by neo-liberal currents in the USA and Great Britain. This line culminated in 1993, when he wrote the ideological manifesto From Social State to Minimal State (Fra socialstat til minimalstat). In 1998, as recently elected Chairman of The Liberal Party, he acknowledged that the struggle for power was in the political centre. He embarked on a centripetal course and placed The Liberal Party as guarantor of the welfare state. At the same time he challenged the Social Democrats in areas such as freedom of choice, legal policy, taxation freeze and immigration policy. At the election of autumn 2001, this produced a landslide victory, which brought The Liberal Party into power.

Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister from November 2001. Photo: Lars-K. Crone/crone@lakris.dk

Minister for Economic and Business Affairs

Mr Bendt Bendtsen (Conservative), born 25 March 1954, is the son of a farmer. Perhaps his country childhood has endowed Bendtsen with the equanimity which has become the trademark of the Conservative Chairman. He has quietly achieved what appeared to be impossible for The Conservative People’s Party: he has created peace and belief in the future. The party’s many internal power struggles of the 1990s were only brought to an end with Bendtsen’s election as Conservative leader in 1999. He made the warring factions collaborate and at the same time settled a destructive rivalry between the Liberal and Conservative parties.

Bendtsen is planning to develop the best possible conditions for trade and industry. Despite his good results, he is a relatively new player in Danish politics. For many years he was active in local politics in Odense, but he only became a member of the Folketing in 1994. Outside politics he has worked in farming and the police. After completing lower secondary school in 1971, he enrolled at an agricultural college in 1972 and worked in farming until 1975. He then started at the Police College, becoming a police sergeant in 1980 and a detective sergeant in 1984.

From the left: Mr Claus Hjort Frederiksen, Ms Lene Espersen, Mr Brian Mikkelsen, Mr Bertel Haarder, Mr Svend Erik Hovmand, Mr Flemming Hansen and Mr Helge Sander. Photo: Lars-K. Crone/crone@lakris.dk

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Dr Per Stig Møller (Conservative), born 27 August 1942, imbibed politics with his mother’s milk as the son of a prominent Conservative couple. In 1967 he became an MA in Comparative Literature at the University of Copenhagen and in 1973 he got his PhD with a thesis which became the start of an award-winning body of work focused on philosophy, politics and history. For many years he was among other things Cultural Editor, Deputy Head and Chief of Programmes at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation; he also taught at the Sorbonne in Paris 1974-1976.

As a young man, Møller was National Chairman of the Association of Conservative Sixth Formers and Deputy Chairman of the Association of Conservative Students. He was elected to the Folketing in 1984 and was Minister for the Environment 1990-1993. In 1997 he became leader of The Conservative People’s Party, but was undermined by the internal power struggle and resigned in 1998.

Møller has vast and broad political knowledge, but has always been particularly interested in international policy. In the Folketing he has among other things been a member of the Foreign Policy Committee and chaired the Security Policy Committee. Before becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs, he was his party’s foreign affairs spokesman.

Minister for Finance

Mr Thor Pedersen (Liberal), born 14 June 1945, is one of the few Danish top politicians to have pursued a business career alongside their political career. He graduated in economics at the University of Copenhagen in 1978 and has used this education as a managing director and board member in private companies. 

Today Pedersen uses his insight to keep Denmark’s economy in order. As Minister for Finance, the down-toearth, reliable and ideological politician has gained a key role in the Government’s efforts to fulfil its election pledge of a taxation freeze. He is a political veteran experienced in both local and national politics. He was a member of Helsinge Council 1974-1986 and Mayor from 1978. He was elected to the Folketing in 1984 and became Minister for Housing twoyears later. He was appointed Minister for the Interior in 1987 and his portfolio was later expanded to include the post as Minister for Nordic Collaboration. From autumn 1992 to January 1993, he was Minister for the Interior and for Economic Affairs. He was a member of the Folketing’s Finance Committee 1993-2001 and 1998-2001 also Public Auditor.

Minister for Employment

Mr Claus Hjort Frederiksen (Liberal), born 4 September 1947, has had an unusual political career. He graduated as a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Copenhagen in 1972. He was Secretary of the Parliamentary Liberal Party secretariat 1973-1977. He then became Head of Section in the Ministry of Agriculture and Secretary of the Association of General Industries’ Employers, until he became Head of Administration for The Liberal Party in 1983.

As Party Secretary from 1985, Hjort Frederiksen started a close cooperation with Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, then Chairman of The Liberal Party, and Anders Fogh Rasmussen. While Fogh Rasmussen was the ideological thinker, Hjort Frederiksen became the whip who revitalised the party organisation, which is now the largest in Denmark. At the same time he has also been Fogh Rasmussen’s close adviser. As Minister he has retained this role.

Minister for Justice

Ms Lene Espersen (Conservative), born 26 September 1965, is one of the young political talents. After upper secondary school and studies in Canada, she graduated in economics at the University of Aarhus in 1990. She had a brief business career before being elected to the Folketing in 1994. Prior to her career in national politics, she was among other things Deputy From the left: Mr Claus Hjort Frederiksen, Ms Lene Espersen, Mr Brian Mikkelsen, Mr Bertel Haarder, Mr Svend Erik Hovmand, Mr Flemming Hansen and Mr Helge Sander. Photo: Lars-K. Crone/crone@lakris.dk. Chairman of the Danish Association of Conservative Students.

As a politician, Espersen is hardworking and known for her thorough study of the issues she is dealing with. In debates she is trenchant, with clear points. She cemented her position as communicator by becoming her party’s political spokesman from 1999. If she can handle the ministerial challenges, she will be in a strong position as one of the Conservatives who will in due course carry the party.

Minister for Culture

Mr Brian Mikkelsen (Conservative), born 31 January 1966, is another young Conservative hope. He was politically active already during primary school, writing his first readers’ letter aged 12. As a young politician, he was among other things Chairman of the Danish Association of Conservative Sixth Formers, Chairman of the Nordic Association of Conservative Sixth Formers and Chairman of the Association of Danish Young Conservatives. He graduated in political science at the University of Copenhagen in 1994. The same year he was elected to the Folketing, where he has primarily concerned himself with culture, education and research. He was Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Conservative Party 1999-2001. 

Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration

Mr Bertel Haarder (Liberal), born 7 September 1944, has one main task: to tighten the immigration policy.

Haarder graduated in political science at the University of Aarhus in 1970 and worked as a teacher and a lecturer at a college of education until he in 1975 was elected to the Folketing, where he became The Liberal Party’s ideologist. He was appointed Minister for Education in 1982 and 1987-1993 was Minister for both Education and Research as well as a member of the Government’s Co-ordination Committee. He was a member of the European Parliament 1994-2001 and among other things became Vice-chairman of the Liberal group, ELDR. He was also Vice-chairman of the European Parliament 1997-1999. He left the Danish Folketing in 1999. Like Minister for Foreign Affairs Per Stig Møller, Haarder has written highly commended books on politics and social conditions.

Until January of 2003, Bertel Haarder furthermore shouldered the responsibility of being Minister for European Affairs. This was a timelimited task, closely correlated with the Danish EU Chairmanship, which led to the acceptance of ten new member states in December of 2002, at the meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen.

Minister for Taxation

Mr Svend Erik Hovmand (Liberal), born 8 December 1945, has the task of realising the election pledge of a taxation freeze. He has been a member of the Folketing since 1975, and acted as Minister for Energy 1986-1988 and Minister for Housing 1990-1993.

After finishing lower secondary school in 1963, Hovmand trained as a carpenter and took a degree in engineering from a technical school, before graduating as a journalist in 1970. As Chief Public Relations Officer for the Liberal Prime Minister Poul Hartling 1974-1975, he was a spin doctor long before this concept became known in Danish politics. He was a member of Ringsted Council 1976-1986, and Deputy Mayor from 1979.

Minister for Transport and Minister for Nordic Cooperation

Mr Flemming Hansen (Conservative), born 9 August 1939, has had a long career within retailing. He took a business school degree in 1959, an advanced business school degree in 1961 and became a Bachelor of Commerce in 1972. He has worked as Chief Consultant to the Danish Association of Shoe Retailers 1963-1972 and has owned several shoe shops since 1973. He was elected to the Folketing in 1984 and has concerned himself with trade, taxation and European policy. He was a member of the Council of Europe 1993-1995.

Minister for Science, technology and Innovation

Mr Helge Sander (Liberal), born 27 August 1950, has the task of positioning Denmark as a front-runner within research and IT. He was educated as a journalist and has been involved in politics since his youth, among other things as Chairman of the Federation of Liberal Youth in Herning. He was a member of Herning Council 1974-1979. He re-entered the Council in 1994, then as Deputy Mayor. From 1998 until his ministerial appointment in 2001 he was Mayor of Herning. Sander, who is also known for his commitment to sports, especially football, was a member of the Folketing 1984-1998 and belonged to the Parliamentary Liberal Party Committee and The Liberal Party’s Executive Committee.

Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

Ms Mariann Fischer Boel (Liberal), born 15 April 1943, was elected to the Folketing in 1990. Here she became known as a professionally skilled politician with ministerial potential. Among other things she chaired the Folketing’s Agriculture and Fisheries Committee 1994-1998 and the Standing Committee on Trade and Commerce 1998-1999. In 1990 she joined The Liberal Party’s Executive Committee and the Parliamentary Liberal Party Committee. She was a member of Munkebo Council 1982-1991 and 1994-1997. Outside the political sphere, she has among other things worked as Financial Director of an export company. In her spare time she helps run the family estate on Funen.

From the left: Ms Mariann Fischer Boel, Mr Svend Aage Jensby, Mr Hans Christian Schmidt, Mr Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Ms Tove Fergo, Ms Ulla Tørnæs and Ms Henriette Kjær. Photo: Lars-K. Crone/ crone@lakris.dk.

Minister for Defence

Mr Svend Aage Jensby (Liberal), born 10 September 1940, was elected to the Folketing in 1990 and has quietly worked his way to ministerial office. After graduating as a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Aarhus in 1967, he began a career in the police, where he was employed by the Public Prosecutor in Aalborg from 1971 until he became Deputy Chief Constable with Aalborg Police in 1976 and Police Constable in Hobro in 1986. Since 1992 he has been The Liberal Party’s defence spokesman and he was also a member of the Defence Commission of 1997. He has a thorough knowledge of the defence and security policy currently undergoing radical change.

Minister for the Environment

Mr Hans Christian Schmidt (Liberal), born 25 August 1953, is in an exposed position. His task is to ensure that future environmental targets are met in the economically most efficient way, while at the same time slimming down the Ministry of the Environment. He was elected to the Folketing in 1994 and soon became environment spokesman the following year. Over the years he has developed a wide knowledge of the area. In addition to his career in national politics, he was a member of Vojens Council 1982-2001. By profession he is a teacher and he was Deputy Head in Vojens 1984-2001.

Minister for the Interior and for Health

Mr Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Liberal), born 15 May 1964, graduated in law at the University of Copenhagen in 1992 and was a self-employed consultant 1990-1995, but has expended most of his energy on politics. He was National Chairman of the Federation of Liberal Youth 1986-1989. In 1986-1997 he participated in local politics, among other things as a member of Græsted-Gilleleje Council. He was elected to the Folketing in 1994; his position as one of The Liberal Party’s key figures was confirmed in 1998 when he became both Deputy Chairman of the party and Chairman of Frederiksborg County Council.

Løkke Rasmussen is one of the chief architects behind The Liberal Party’s plan to give the citizens greater choice with regard to, for instance, hospital treatment and care for the elderly and as Minister, he has the task of reforming the health service.

Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs

Ms Tove Fergo (Liberal), born 24 September 1946, graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity at the University of Copenhagen in 1972. Since leaving university she has served as an incumbent in Copenhagen. She was a member of Copenhagen City Council 1990-1998. She was elected to the Folketing in 1994 and has attracted particular attention for her strong involvement in debates about, for instance, ethics, social policy and child care.

Minister for Education

Ms Ulla Tørnæs (Liberal), born 4 September 1962, after finishing upper secondary school studied in Chambéry in France, at the University of Copenhagen and elsewhere. However, she abandoned her studies when her political interests took over. She was employed by the Parliamentary Liberal Party secretariat 1986-1994. She was Chairman of the Danish Association of Liberal Students 1988-1990 and Vice-president of the International Federation of Liberal and Radical Youth 1989-1993. She was elected to the Folketing in 1994 and joined the Parliamentary Liberal Party Committee the same year. In 1998 she was appointed political spokesman of The Liberal Party. In the Folketing she has mainly concerned herself with education and labour market issues and among other things been Deputy Chairman of the Education Committee.

Minister for Social Affairs and Minister for Equal Opportunities

Ms Henriette Kjær (Conservative), born 3 May 1966, entered politics aged 16 and was Chairman of the Federation of Conservative Youth in Århus 1983-1986. After finishing upper secondary school in 1985, she had various jobs, for instance at the newspaper Jyllands-Posten. She enrolled at the Royal School of Library and Information Science in Aalborg in 1993, but soon had to abandon her studies when she was elected to the Folketing the following year. Here she has among other things been the Conservative spokesman on research and environment. To the general public, she is best known as health spokesman.

Thomas Larsen
Political Editor

Further Information

Statsministeriet
(The Prime Minister’s Office)
Christiansborg
Prins Jørgens Gård 11
DK-1218 Copenhagen K
(+45) 3392 3300
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