Party leaders take foreign and defence minister posts in new Danish government
Liberal (Venstre) party leader Jakob Ellemann-Jensen has been named as Denmark’s new defence minister and deputy prime minister as the new government was formed on Thursday. The leader of the Moderate party, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, becomes foreign minister.
After yesterday’s presentation of the new government platform, the new team of Danish government ministers was on Thursday presented to Queen Margrethe and the public at royal palace Amalienborg, in keeping with tradition.
While Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen was a certainty to continue as prime minister, the two other coalition party leaders were expected to be given prominent roles in the new government.
Ellemann-Jensen replaces Morten Bødskov at the defence ministry. Bødskov will move to the business ministry.
The previous government, a purely Social Democratic minority government, did not have a deputy prime minister, but Ellemann-Jensen now takes that title.
Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s prime minister from 2009-11 and 2015-19, is the new foreign minister. He replaces Jeppe Kofod, who was not elected to parliament at last month’s election.
In other notable appointments, former Social Democratic employment minister Peter Hummelgaard replaces Mattias Tesfaye as justice minister. Tesfaye’s new portfolio is Children and Education. Liberal Sophie Løhde is the Minister for the Interior and Health. Løhde previously served as health minister under a Liberal-led government in 2015-16. Magnus Heunicke, the health minister who was prominent during Denmark's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, becomes Minister for the Environment.
Kaare Dybvad Bek stays in place as the minister for immigration and integration and Nicolai Wammen continues as finance minister.
Possibly the most surprising appointment is that of Lars Aagaard, the former director of energy industry organisation Dansk Energi, as Minister for Climate, Energy and Critical Supplies. Aagaard, who is not a member of parliament, is likely to have been handpicked for the job by Løkke Rasmussen.
The previous climate minister, Dan Jørgensen, gets the title of Minister for Foreign Development and Global Climate Policy.
The new government, known as the “SVM” government after the initials of the three party names, consists of 23 ministers, of which only 8 are women. Some 11 ministers come from the Social Democrats, with 7 Liberals and 5 Moderates.
READ ALSO: KEY POINTS: What are the main policies of the new Danish government?
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After yesterday’s presentation of the new government platform, the new team of Danish government ministers was on Thursday presented to Queen Margrethe and the public at royal palace Amalienborg, in keeping with tradition.
While Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen was a certainty to continue as prime minister, the two other coalition party leaders were expected to be given prominent roles in the new government.
Ellemann-Jensen replaces Morten Bødskov at the defence ministry. Bødskov will move to the business ministry.
The previous government, a purely Social Democratic minority government, did not have a deputy prime minister, but Ellemann-Jensen now takes that title.
Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s prime minister from 2009-11 and 2015-19, is the new foreign minister. He replaces Jeppe Kofod, who was not elected to parliament at last month’s election.
In other notable appointments, former Social Democratic employment minister Peter Hummelgaard replaces Mattias Tesfaye as justice minister. Tesfaye’s new portfolio is Children and Education. Liberal Sophie Løhde is the Minister for the Interior and Health. Løhde previously served as health minister under a Liberal-led government in 2015-16. Magnus Heunicke, the health minister who was prominent during Denmark's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, becomes Minister for the Environment.
Kaare Dybvad Bek stays in place as the minister for immigration and integration and Nicolai Wammen continues as finance minister.
Possibly the most surprising appointment is that of Lars Aagaard, the former director of energy industry organisation Dansk Energi, as Minister for Climate, Energy and Critical Supplies. Aagaard, who is not a member of parliament, is likely to have been handpicked for the job by Løkke Rasmussen.
The previous climate minister, Dan Jørgensen, gets the title of Minister for Foreign Development and Global Climate Policy.
The new government, known as the “SVM” government after the initials of the three party names, consists of 23 ministers, of which only 8 are women. Some 11 ministers come from the Social Democrats, with 7 Liberals and 5 Moderates.
READ ALSO: KEY POINTS: What are the main policies of the new Danish government?
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