List of Danish Female Ministers

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership

DANISH FEMALE MINISTERS

There are no deputy ministers in Denmark, but the Permanent Secretaries (Departementchef) acts as deputies to the ministers, and abroad they have title of State Secretary, and therefore they are included in the list. Denmark Ministers is a chronological list without biographical data. 


1924-25 Minister of Education mag.art. Nina Bang

The Ministry also included Cultural Affairs. She was member of the Executive Committee of the Social Democrats 1903-28, Member of the City Council of Copenhagen 1913-17, Member of Landstinget (Upper Chamber) 1918-28, as one of the first three women. Nina Henriette Wendeline Bang née Ellinger was a historian and journalist, married to Jens Gustav Bang (1871-1915), and her only daughter was born 1903. She lived (1866-1928).


1947-50 Minister without Portfolio with special responsibility for the Interests of the Homes, Housekeeping and Children within the Areas of Social Affairs and Supply and the Interests of Working Women Fanny Jensen

After having worked in the Union of Female Workers on the local and national level, she was Chairperson 1937-47, until she became member of the Folketing for the Social Democrats 1947-53. Fanny Haraldine Alfrida Jensen née Andersen was married to Carl Victor Jensen until their divorce in 1923, mother of one daughter, and lived (1890-1969).  


1950 and 1953-66 Minister of Church Affairs 
1966-68 Minister of Cultural Affairs cand.teol. Bodil Koch

MF for the Social Democrats 1947-72 (†). As Minister of Church Affairs she defended the openness of the church, worked in favour of female priests. Bodil Koch née Thastum was married to the author, Hal Koch, and mother of four children, and lived (1903-1972).


1950-53 Minister of Justice and Police cand.jur. Helga Pedersen

Personal Secretary of the Minister of Justice 1940-46, City Court Judge in Copenhagen 1947-50 and 1953-56, MF for The Rightwing Liberals 1953-64, Judge in the Court of Appeals (Østre Landsret) 1956-64, High Court Judge 1964-71 and Judge at the Court for Human Rights of The Council of Europe, 1972-80 (†). 1968 she turned down the offer of post of Foreign Minister. Inger Helga was unmarried, and lived (1911-1980). 


1953-57 Minister of Trade, Industry and Shipping cand.polit. Lis Groes

Trough many years Chairperson of the Association of Consumers, MF for the Social Democrats 1960-71. Her mother, Signe Tørsleff, was Headmistress. Lis Groes was married to Ebbe Groes mother of 9 children born between 1937 and 1951. Anne Lisbeth Groes née Tørsleff lived (1911-74). 


1953-65 State Secretary of The Ministry of Education cand.jur. Agnete Vøhtz

Before becoming Departementchef (Permanent State Secretary), she was civil servant in the Ministry from 1921. Until 1961 the Ministry also included Cultural Affairs. Agnete Sophie Vøhtz was unmarried, and lived (1895-1980).  


1966-68 Minister of Family Issues Camma Larsen-Ledet

Journalist, 1954-58 Deputy Mayor and Rådmand, 1970-78 Mayor and 1978-86 again Deputy Mayor of Åbenrå, 1964-68 MF for the Social Democrats,1974-81 Chairperson of the Association of Municipalities. The Ministry only existed for the two years she was in office. Camma Sylvia Søgaard was married to Clement Larsen-Ledet and mother of two children, she lived (1915-91).


1966-68 State Secretary of The Ministry of Family Issues cand.jur. Gudrun Refslund Thomsen

Civil Servant in the Ministry of Interior 1943-66 and 1968-75 as Senior Advisor. Her mother Ingeborg Refslund Thomsen was Member of the Landsting for the Social Liberals (1947-53) and MP (1953-57). Gudrun was married to lawyer Erik Rasmussen, mother of two children, and lived (1915-2001) .


1968-71 Minister of Social Affairs 
1973-75 Minister of Justice and Police and Minister of Cultural Affairs
1978-79 Minister of Justice and Police cand.jur. Nathalie Lind                   

MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1964-66 and 1968-81, Vice-Chairperson of the Folketing (Diet) 1973 and 1975-78, Deputy President of Nordic Council 1975-78 and 1978, Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of her party 1977-78. Married to Erik Tefelt-Hansen, who died 1962 and secondly to Niels Erik Langsted. Mother of two sons, she lived (1918-99). 


1971-73 Minister of Church Affairs 
1978-82 Minister of Education cand.teol Dorte Marianne Koch Bennedsen

MF 1975-2001 and Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats 1977-79, Chairperson of the Industrial Committee 1978, Chairperson of the Municipality Committee 1987-88, Deputy President of the Nordic Council 1994-2001, Chairperson of the Committee for Citizenship 1998-2001, Assistant Pastor 1965-68 and daughter of Bodil Koch, she was married to Jørgen Bennedsen and mother of three children. She lived (1938-2016). 


1972-73 and 1975-78 Minister of Social Affairs Eva Gredal

MF 1971-75 and 1977-79, Chairperson of the Danish Social Democrats in the European Parliament as well as Deputy Chairperson of the Socialist Group and Leader of the Danish Delegation 1979-89. Eva Wilhelmson Gredal was married to Kaj Otto Gredal, mother of four children born between 1950 and 1967, and lived (1927-95). 


1973 and 1975-78 Minister of Education 
1979-82 Minister of Social Affairs
1995-99 European Union Commissioner for Environment and Atomic Security
2000-01 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries cand.pæd. Ritt Bjerregaard

MF 1971-95 and 2001-2005, Chairperson 1982 and 1987-91 and 1982-87 Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats, Chairperson of the Parliamentary State Auditors 1990-94, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe 1992-94. 1993 she turned down the offer of the post of Minister of Traffic and Lord Mayor of Copenhagen 2006-10. Jytte Ritt Bjerregaard is married to the historian Søren Mørch, no children. (b. 1941-). 


1973-75 Minister of Education Tove Nielsen                       

MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1972-73, 1975-77 and 1978-80, Member of the European Parliament 1979-94 and 1979-89 Deputy Chairperson of the Liberal Group. Unmarried and no children. (b. 1941-).  


1977-80 Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Questions Concerning Foreign Policy (Development Aid)
1980-82 Minister of Cultural Affairs and Nordic Co-operation Prof. dr.phil. Lise Østergaard

MF for the Social Democrats 1979-84, Professor of Psychology at Copenhagen University. Anna Elisabeth Østergaard was married two times to Gunnar Rosendahl. They had no children, and she lived (1924-96). 


 

1979-87 State Secretary of The Ministry of Church Affairs cand.jur. Maria Topp

Civil Servant in the Ministry from 1957. Maria Sara Johanna was married to Knud Topp, mother of two children, and lived (1919-98).  


1981-82 Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs and Minister for Greenland Tove Lindbo Larsen   

MF for the Social Democrats 1971-73, 1977-87 and 1988-98, Chairperson of the Industrial Committee 1979-81, Vice-Chairperson of the Health Committee 1994-98. Tove Lindbo Larsen née Karlsen was married to Verner Lindbo Larsen, and mother of two sons. (b. 1928-).


1982-86 Minister of Interior Britta Schall Holberg
1986-87 Minister of Agriculture 

Deputy Mayor of Assens 1978-82 and 2005-11 MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1982-88 and Chairperson of the Energy Committee 2005-07 and of the Ecclesiastical Committee from 2007. Owner of the Estate Hagenskov and in 1997 she was one of the two first women to be appointed Hofjægermester/Chasseur to the Royal Court by Queen Margrethe. Britta Caroc Schall Holberg is married to Jørgen Hansen and mother of two sons. (b. 1941-).  


1982-86 Minister of Labour cand.jur. Grethe Fenger Møller

MF 1977-93, Rådmand/Councillor of Culture of Frederiksberg 1981-82, Political Spokesperson of The Conservative People’s Party 1986-87, Chairperson of the Equality Council of the Premier Minister 1987-92, Chairperson of the Health Committee 1987, of the Justice Committee 1988-89. She was entangled in a scandal that brought along the fall of the conservative-liberal government in 1993 and convicted for not telling the truth in court. Unmarried and no children. (b. 1941-).  


1982-84 Minister of Cultural Affairs
1986-88 Minister of Social Affairs
1987 Minister for Greenland
1993-94 1. Vice-Premier Minister and Minister for Coordination of Business-Policy       
1994 Minister of Co-ordination and of Industry
1994-96 2. Vice-Premier Minister and Minister of Business and Industry cand.phil. Mimi Jakobsen

MF 1977-2001, until the Center Democrats did not re-enter the Parliament. Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group 1980-81, Political Spokesperson 1981-82, 1988-92 and since 1998 and 1989-2005 Chairperson of The Center Democrats, which was founded by her father Erhard Jacobsen in 1973. She was seriously ill with absence of leave from the Folketing 1997-98 because she was bitten by a wood tick. Mimi Vibeke Jakobsen is divorced from Svend Horneman Stilling and Bengt Burg and later married to Mogens Lund. She is mother of two sons born 1981 and 1989. Since 2000 Secretary General of the Save The Children Foundation. (b. 1948-).


1982-84 Minister of Church Affairs 
1984-86 Minister of Social Affairs
1988-89 Minister of Health cand.jur. Elsebeth Koch-Petersen

MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1975-77 and 1984-90. In 1986 she turned down the post of Minister of Housing, Divorced from Niels Koch-Petersen, she is mother of a son born 1986 and daughter 1989. Now known as Elsebeth Larsen, she is living in United Kingdom. (b. 1949-).  


1984-88 Minister of Church Affairs Mette Madsen

MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1971-87, Second Vice-Chairperson of the Folketing 1982-84, Author. Mette Marie Fruensgaard Madsen is widow of Gunnar Otto Madsen. No children. She lived (1924-2015). 


1984-97 State Secretary of The Ministry of Education dr.polit. Inge Theilst Thygesen

Even though Denmark does not have Deputy Ministers or politically appointed State Secretaries, the permanent State Secretaries represents the Minister in the EU and other organs, when necessary. She is former Assistant Professor and Civil Servant in the Education Ministry and since 1997 Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Finance. Until 1993 married to Niels Thygesen and mother of three children. (b. 1935-).  


1987-88 Minister of Health 
1988-90 Minister of Housing cand.jur. Agnete Laustsen

MF for the Conservative People's Party 1979-98, Chairperson of the Social Affairs' Committee 1982-87, Vice-Chairperson of Borgerrepræsentationen of Copenhagen 1984-87. Married to Svend Ole Tjellesen in 1996. No children. (b. 1935-)  


1988-90 Minister of Environment cand.polyt. Lone Dybkjær

MF for The Social Liberals 1973-77 and 1979-94 and 2005-11, Chairperson of the Science Committee 1984, Chairperson of the Energy Committee 1984-87 and 1994-2004 Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chairperson of the Environmental Committee 1994-99. Lone Dybkjær née Vincents was first married to Ib Dybkjær and from 1994 Poul Nyrup Rasmussen of the Social Democrats, who was Prime Minister 1993-2001. Mother of two daughters. (b. 1940-). 


1988-90 Minister of Social Affairs Aase Olesen

MF 1974-77, 1979-93 and Secretary of the Parliamentary Group of The Social Liberals 1984-87, Chairperson of the Social Affairs’ Committee 1987-88. Aase Olesen née Larsen was married to Tormod Olesen and mother of two children. She lived (1934-2013).


1989-93 Minister of Industry 
1990-93 Minister of Energy cand.scient.pol. Anne Birgitte Lundholt

Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group 1993-95, Deputy Leader and Political Spokesperson of the Conservative People's Party 1995-97 and in 1997 she was Leadership-candidate and afterwards Foreign Affairs Spokesperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Folketinget, which she left later same year for a post as executive director of the Federation of Danish Pig Producers and Danish Bacon and Meat Council, which she held until 2005 and chairperson of Rail Net Denmark from 2006. Before becoming minister she was director of the Association of the Danish Furniture Industry. Unmarried and no children. (b. 1952- ).


1989-93 Minister of Health cand.phil. Ester Larsen

MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1993-2005 and 1994-98 Chairperson of the Health Committee, Chairperson of the Committee Concerning the Ethical Council 1998-2001. Ester Larsen née Thøgersen was first married to Rev. Kaj Jørgen Larsen until their divorce and then to Niels Erik Nielsen, and mother of three children. (b. 1936-).  


1990-93 Minister of Social Affairs Else Winther Andersen

In 1988-89 and 1990-2005 MF for the Rightwing Liberals. From 2001 Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Folketing. Else Winther is married to Preben Wittrup Andersen and mother of two children. (b. 1941-). 


1990-93 Minister of Cultural Affairs mag.art. Grethe Rostbøll

Grethe Fogh Rostbøll was MF 1996-98 for the Conservative People's Party and later Chairperson of the Cultural Affairs’ Committee of Frederiksberg. Until 1996 married to Torben Rostbøll and mother of four children. (b. 1942-). 


1993-94 2. Vice-Premier Minister 
1993-2001 Minister of Economic Affairs
1994-2001 1. Vice-Premier Minister and Minister of Nordic Co-operation
1998-99 Acting Minister of Education (20.11.98-17.1.99)
2012-15 Minister of Culture
2014-15 Minister of Church Affairs cand.pæd. Marianne Jelved

Marianne Bruus Jelved was Deputy Mayor of Gundsø 1982-85, MF since 1987, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group 1988-93, 2001-07 and 2011-12 and Leader of the Social Liberals 1990-2007. Vice-Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Folketing 2001-07, Chairperson of the Committee of Science and Technology, Deputy Group Chairperson in 2011 and Vice-Chairperson of the Folketing and Chairperson of the Finance Committee 2011-12. Married to Jan Jelved and mother of two children. (b. 1943-).


1993-94 Minister for Development Cooperation Helle Degn

In 1971-75 and 1977-2000 MF for the Social Democrats, 1981 Chairperson of the Education Committee 1982-87 Chairperson of the Equality Council, 1994-2000 Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Folketing, 1994-2000 Vice-President of the Socialist International's Women's Section, 1995-98 Vice-President and 1998-2000 President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Organization for Security and Co-operation, OSCE. 2000-03 Commissioner of the Council of the Baltic Sea States for Democratic Development and Human Rights. Lived together with Peter Rasmussen until 1992, and mother of two sons born in 1969 and 1972. She was the first female MP to demand Maternity Leave. (b. 1946-).  


1993-97 Minister of the Interior Birte Weiss
1994-96 Minister of Church Affairs
1996-98 Minister of Health
1999-2001 Minister of Research and Information Technology

MF 1971-73 and 1975-2001 for the Social Democrats, when she did not seek re-election. Chairperson of the Council of Denmark’s Radio/TV 1981-86, Deputy Chairperson of the Social Democrats 1984-96 and 1. Vice-Chairperson of the Folketing 1998-99, after having lost a draw for the post of Chairman, as the parliament was in a tie. Birte Weiss née Rasmussen was married to Ole Weiss and mother of two sons. (b. 1941-).


1993-98 Minister of Labour Jytte Andersen
1998-2000 Minister of  Housing and Cities
1999-2000 Minister for Equality

Social Democratic MF 1979-2007, 1981-97 and 2000-01 Secretary of the Folketing, 1982-87 Secretary and 2000-2001 Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats. She was the first minister in the newly established Equality Ministry, which had previously been part of the Premier Minister’s Portfolio. Jytte Maria Andersen née Johansen was married to Andreas Andersen until 1994 and mother of one son. (b. 1941-).


1993 Minister of Justice and Police 
1998-2000 Minister of Business and Industry
2000-01 Minister of Finance (Fourth in the Cabinet) cand.jur. Pia Gjellerup

1987-2007 MF, 1990-93 Chairperson of the Taxation Committee, 1991-93 and from 2001 Secretary, 1994-98 and 2002-05 Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats, 1991-93 and 2001-02 Secretary of The Folketing, 1993-98 Deputy Chairperson of the Finance Committee. Unmarried and no children. (b. 1960-).


1993-96 Minister of Cultural Affairs
1996-98 Minister of Research and Information Technology cand.polyt. Jytte Hilden

Former Headmaster of a High School, MF 1979-81 and 1984-98 for the Social Democrats, and afterwards PR Manager of the Royal Library in Copenhagen. Daughter of the two conservative MF’s Gudrun and Jørgen Jensen. Divorced from Hans Peter Hilden, Johny Leisner and Mogens Lykketoft (b. 1946) who was Minister of Finance 1993-2000 and of Foreign Affairs 2000-01 (until 2003). She is mother of four children with her first two husbands. (b. 1942-).


1993-94 Minister of Social Affairs 
1994-2000 and 2007 Minister of Social Affairs
2000-01 Minister of the Interior and Refugees
2007-09 Minister of Welfare in charge of Family, Consumer Affairs and Local Government and Minister of Equality cand.mag. Karen Jespersen

Former leading member of the Leftwing Socialists before she became MF for the Social Democrats 1993-2005 until she resigned and joined the rightwing Liberals in 2007 and was soon after appointed as minister. Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Foreigners and Integration 2009-11 and Vice-Chairperson of the Housing Committee 2011-15 when she left the Parliament. She is the first person in Denmark to have been Minister in both a leftwing and a rightwing government. Historian and Journalist. During her third term as Social Minister she was in charge of Social Security, Community Housing and Urban Development. Karin Moustgård Jespersen is married to Ralf Pittelkow, no children. (b. 1947-).  


1993-94 State Secretary of The Ministry of Housing cand.jur. Karin Kristensen

Civil Servant in the Justice Ministry. (b. 1953-).  


1994 Minister of Social Affairs Bente Juncker

MF 1981-94, 1983-93 Secretary, 1984-93 Deputy Chairperson and 1993-94 Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Center Democrats,  1984-89 Deputy Chairperson of the Education Committee. She was minister for only 14 days before she had to resign because of her involvement in a scandal. Bente Juncker née Hjorslev was married to Torben Juncker and later lived together with Uffe Thorndahl, who was MF for the Progress Party. No children. (b. 1944-).  


1994 Minister of Social Affairs 
1994-96 Minister of Health Yvonne Herløv Andersen

MF 1977-79, 1981-84, 1987-88 and 1998-2001. In 1979-89 she was Secretary General, 1982-84 Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Center Democrats, 1981-82 Chairperson of the Environmental Committee, 1982-84 of the Social Affairs’ Committee, 1987-88 of the Energy Committee, 1998-2001 of the Health Committee. Married to Mr. Arne Andersen until 1968, and from 1990 to Ms. Birthe Smedegaard Knudsen. Yvonne Herløv is mother of two children. (b. 1942-).


1996-2001 State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cand.polit. Ellen Margrethe Løj

Her title was Udenrigsråd og Chef for Sydgruppen (Foreign Affairs Councillor and Head of the South Group) and she was Leader of the Department of Development Aid within the Foreign Ministry. Ambassador to Israel 1989-92, viceudenrigsråd and leader in the Foreign Ministry 1992-96, 2004-07 Member of the Security Council and May 2005 and June 2006 it's chairperson. Ambassador to the Czech Republic 2007-08, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the United Nations Mission in Liberia 2008-2012 and Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) 2014-15. (b. 1940-).


1998-2000 Minister of Traffic and Tele-Communication 
2000 Minister of Health Sonja Mikkelsen

In 1981-86, 1987-88 and 1990-2001 MF for the Social Democrats. Sonja Alice Dahl Mikkelsen is married to Ole Kristensen and mother of two daughters. (b. 1955-).


1998-2001 Minister of Education 
1998-2000 Minister of Church Affairs
2011-14 1. Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Interior
2014- EU Commissioner for Competition cand.polit. Margrethe Vestager

In 1993-97 Chairperson, Deputy Group Chairperson 2001-07 and Group Chairperson and Party Leader of the Social Liberals 2007-14, Chief of the Secretariat of Economic Management in the Ministry of Finance 1997-89 . From December 2000 member of the Coordination Committee of the Government, Chairperson of the Political-Economical Committee 2001-05. Married to Thomas Jensen, she is mother of a daughter born 1996 and a boy born in November 1998, and therefore the first minister to be no Maternity Leave 20.11.98-17.1.99. Her third child is born 2003. As minister of Church Affairs she was boss of both of her parents, who are both priests in the Danish Evangelical Lutheran church. (b. 1968-).


1998-2001 Minister of Cultural Affairs cand.rer.soc. Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen

MF for the Social Liberals 1994-2007. Born as Elsebeth Jensen she was first married to Sven Gerner Nielsen and secondly to Søren Nielsen. Mother of a daughter born in 1983, a son born 1991 and a daughter born in August 2001, when she was the second female minister to take a couple of months of maternity leave. (b. 1964-).


2000-01 Minister of Housing and Cities and Minister for Equality Lotte Bundsgaard

Teacher and MF for the Social Democrats 1997-2007, Member of the Defence Committee and Speaker on Defence Policy in 2000. 2002-05 Vice-Chairperson and 2005-06 Political Spokesperson of the Social Democrats. Lotte Koed Bundsgaard is married to Søren Thorsager and mother of a daughter born 1999, and a son born in February 2002. (b. 1973-).


2000-01 Minister of Development Cooperation Anita Bay Bundegaard

Former Secretary in the Folketing for Marianne Jelved and Lone Dybkjær, Journalist and editor at the newspaper Politiken and in 2002 appointed Special Advisor of External Relations of UNHCR in Génève. Married to Editor Christian Bundegaard, no children. (b. 1962-).


2000-13 Secretary of State of the Ministry of Culture cand.jur. Karoline Prien Kjeldsen

Before becoming Departementchef, she was civil servant in the Justice Ministry. Married to Hans Henrik Christensen and mother of three daughters born 1990, 1992 and 1996. (b. 1961-).


2001-08 Minister of Justice cand.oecon. Lene Espersen
2006 Acting Minister of Family and Consumer Affairs
2008-11 Vice-Prime Minister
2008-10 Minister of Economic and Business Affairs
2010-11 Minister of Foreign Affairs

MF 1994-2014, Political Spokesperson of The Conservative People's 1999-2001 and 2014 and Political Leader 2008-11. Executive Director of Danish Association of Architectual Companies from 2014. One month after her appointment as minister she gave birth to her first son in December 2001 and in 2003 the second. On both occasions she was on Maternity Leave for one month. Married to Danny Feltmann Espersen (They took each other's surnames) (b. 1965-) .


2001-04 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
2004-10 European Commisisoner of Agriculture Mariann Fischer Boel      

Educated in trade, she was rightwing Liberal MP 1990-2004, Deputy Mayor of Munkebo 1986-90, Chairperson of the Committee for Agriculture and Fisheries 1994-98, Chairperson of the Business and Trade Committee 1998-99 and Chairperson of the Taxation Committee 1999-2001. Else Mariann Fischer Boel is married to Hans Fischer, mother of three daughters and owner of the Estate Østergaard (b. 1943-).


2001-05 Minister of Education Ulla Tørnæs
2005-10 Minister of Development Cooperation
2016 Minister of Higher Education and Science
2016- Minister of Development Cooperation

Has begun a number of educations. MF 1994-2014 and MEP 2014-16, Political Spokesperson of The Rightwing Liberals 1998-2001 and Deputy Mayor of Holstebro 2014-16. Daughter of former Minister of Agriculture and County Mayor of Ribe, Laurits Tørnæs, Ulla Pedersen Tørnæs is married to Jørgen Larsen Tørnæs, and mother of three daughters born in 1997, 1998, and 2002. (b. 1962-).


2001-04 Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Equality
2004-05 Minister of Family and Consumer Affairs Henriette Kjær  

She is a librarian-student, and has been Conservative MF 1994-11 and Political Spokesperson 2007-11 and Group Chairperson 2008-11, also Vice-Chairperson of the Committee of Transportation since 2007. She resigned both as minister and 6 years later after it was revealed that she and her partner had been convicted 7 times for not paying their bills. She Lives together with Erik Skov Petersen and is mother of two sons born in 1996 and 1998. (b. 1966-).


2001-05 Minister of Church Affairs cand.teol. Tove Fergo

Vice-Chairperson of the City Assembly of Copenhagen 1994-98 and MF for the Rightwing Liberals 1994-2005, when she failed to be re-elected. She deputized for the Minister of Defence and was Acting Minister on many of occasions. She worked as a priest at Simon Peters Parish since 1973. Married to priest Peter Fergo, who works at Allehelgens Church, and mother of three children. She lived (1946-2015).


2004-07 Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Equality
2007-10 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods
2105-16 Minister of Environment, Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods cand.polit.
Eva Kjer Hansen

MP since 1990 and of the European Parliament 1994-99 for Venstre. As Social Minister she was in charge of Social Security, Community Housing and Urban Developent. Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee 2010-11 and Vice-Chair 2010-11 and from 2011 Chairperson of the Committee of European Affairs. Married to Jørgen Hansen Berg and mother of three daughters born 1997, 1999 and 2001. (b. 1964-).


2004-07 Minister of the Environment
2005-07 Minister of Nordic Cooperation
2007-09 Minister of Climate and Energy
2009 Minister for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (Minister for COP15)
2010-14 EU-Commissioner of Climate
Affairs cand.mag. Connie Hedegaard

MF for Det Konservative Folkeparti 1984-90 and from 2005. Political Spokesperson 1989-90. When Lene Espersen became party leader in 2008 it was agreed that she was to take over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2010, but instead she was nominated as EU-Commissioner. Master in Literature and History and Journalist at Danish Television. Connie Hedegaard Koksbang is married to Jacob Andersen, and mother of two boys born 1993 and 1994. (b. 1960-).


2005-07 Minister of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs cand.polit. Rikke Hvilshøj

MP 1998-2007 and Deputy Group Chairperson of the Righwing Liberals 2001-07, Deputy Mayor of Frederiksberg 1998-2002. She became Acting Chair since the previous chair lost his seat during the elections. Unsuccesfull candidate for the post of Deputy Group Chairperson in 2007. Married to Karsten Anker Petersen and mother of two chidlren born 1999 and 2003. She is (b. 1970-).


2006-07 Minister of Family and Consumer Affairs
2007-08 Minister of Transport
2008-10 Minister of Culture cand. negot
. Carina Christensen

MF 2001-11. Member of the Councy Council of Fyn 2002-07, MP from 2001 and member of the Regional Council of Southern Denmark in 2006. Deputy Group Chairperson of Det Konservative Folkeparti 2005-06 and Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Folketing in the same period, Secretary of her party's parliamentary group and of the Parliament 2010-11 and Political Spokesperson in 2011. Married to Kim Ørnbo, no children. (b. 1972-).


2006-11 State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cand.scient.pol. Anne Hedensted Steffensen
Head of the Danish Trade Council until 2009 and State Secretary for Trade and Corporate Affairs until 2011 and part of the management group of the Ministry. From 2004 Ambassador in the Trade Council. Ambassador to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 2011. (b. 1963-).

2006-09 State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cand.jur. Anne Dorthe Riggelsen
Head of the Administration and Services Secretariat nd part of the management group of the Ministry. From 2003 Under-Secretary (kontorchef) with special responsibility for EU affairs within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Ambassador to France from 2009. (b. 1958-).

2007-11 Minister for Refugees, Immigration and Integration Affairs and Minister of Church Affairs cand.jur. Birthe Rønn Hornbech
MF for the Rightwing Liberals from 1984-87 and 1990-15, Chairperson of the Committee of Ecclesiastical Affairs 1990-2007 and former Chair of the Committee of Constitutional Affairs. She turned down the offer of ministerial appointments in 2001 and 2005. Birthe Sparrevohn Rønn Hornbech is former Deputy Chief of Police and widow of Kaj Hornbech. No children. (b. 1943-).

2007-12 State Secretary of the Ministry of Environment cand.scient.pol. Marianne Thyrring
Before becoming Departementchef (Permanent State Secretary) she worked in the Ministry since 1999 in various management positions. Married to Bent Pallisgaard Christensen and mother of 3 children. (b. 1959-).

2009-10 Minister of Interior and Social Affairs
2010-11 Minister of Environment and Nordic Cooperation
2015-16 Minister of Social Affairs and Interior
2016- Minister of Equality and Minister of Nordic Cooperation
2017- Acting Minister of Health
Karen Ellemann
Teacher. Member of the City Council of Rudersdal 2005-07 and Liberal MP from 2007. Karen Ellemann Klock is daughter of former Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen and granddaughter of former MP Jens Peter Jensen, divorced from the Armenian born Aren Boje Kharabian, mother of 2 children born in 1999 and 2000 and later married to Kresten Kloch. (b. 1969-).

2009-11 Minister of Employment
2009-10 Minister of Equality
2015- Minister of Foreigners and Integration
2015-16 Minister of Housing Inger Støjberg
Journalist. Liberal Member of the County Council of Viborg 1994-2001 and MP from 2001. Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group 2005-07 and 2011-14 and Political Spokesperson 2007-09 and from 2014. Divorced from Jesper Beinov. No children. (b. 1973-).

2009-11 Minister for Climate and Energy
2010-11 Minister for Equality cand.scient.pol. Lykke Friis, Ph.D

MP for the Righwing Liberals 2011-13, Vice Chancellor, University of Copenhagen 2006-2009 and from 2013, Director of European Affairs, Confederation of Danish Industries 2003–2006, 2002 Research Director at the Danish Institute of International Affairs, where she worked since 1996. Married to Peter Warming. No children. (b. 1969-). 


2010-11 Minister of Defence cand.merc.mat. Gitte Lillelund Bech

MP for the Rightwing Liberals 1999-2013 and Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committe 2006-10 and of the Committee of Tax and Revenue 2011-14. Executive Director of the Assocation of Danish Ports from 2014. Married to Thomas Egebo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Climate and Energy. (b. 1969-).


2010-11 Minister of Social Affairs cand.scient.pol. Benedikte Kiær

First Vice-Chairperson of the Capital Region 2005-09 and Vice-Chairperson of the Association of Danish Regions. Vice-Chairperson of Det Konservative Folkeparti 2009-11, MP and Political Spokesperson 2011-12, Mayor of Helsingør from  2014. Married to Lars Dam and mother of one child born 2016. (1970-).


2010-11 Minister of Education cand.scient. Tina Nedergaard

Rightwing Liberal MP 2003-15 and candidate for Mayor of Vesthimmerland in the 2013 but withdrew before the municipal elections. Fomerly married to Per Ørum Jørgensen, MP for the Conservatives and later of the Christian Democrats. Mother of 1 daughter. (b. 1969-).


2010-11 Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation  Charlotte Sahl-Madsen

Studied law before she held a number of executive postions in the business world, latest as CEO and President of Danfoss Universe. Member of the Conservative People's Party. Unmarried and no children. (b. 1964).


2011-14 State Secretary of The Ministry of Justice
2015-16 State Secretary of The Ministry of Church Affairs cand.jur. Anne Kristine Axelsson

As Permanent Secretary she holds the rank of State Secretary abroad. She is former Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry. Married and mother of 3 children. (b. 1969-).


2011-15 Prime Minister cand.scient.pol. Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Social Democrat Member of the European Parliament 1999-2004 and Member of the Parliament 200516, Party Chairperson 2005-15, 1. Vice Chair of the Parliament 2015-16 and named CEO of Save the Children International in 2016. Married to Stephen Kinnock, British MP, and mother of two daughters. (b. 1966-).

2011-13 Minister of  Foreign Trade and Investments
2012 Acting Minister of Health and Prevention
2013 Acting Minister of Environment

2013-14 Minister of Transport cand.scient.pol. Pia Olsen Dyhr
MP for the Socialist People's Party from 2007 and Party Leader from 2014. She was acting minister during the maternity leaves of Astrid Krag and Ida Auken. Married to Villy Dyhr and mother of 1 daughter (b. 1971-).

2011-14 Minister of Enviroment cand.theol. Ida Margrethe Meier Auken
Ida Auken was a MP for the Socialist People's Party from 2007 until 2014 when she joined The Social Liberals. She is daughter of the former MP and MEP Margrethe Auken and married to Bent Meier Sørensen, mother of 2 sons born 2011 and 2013. (b. 1978-).

2011-14 Minister of Health and Prevention BSc. Astrid Krag Kristensen
Astrid Krag has been a MP from 2007, Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group 2010-11 and candidate for the leadership of the Socialist People's Party in 2012. In 2014 she joined the Social Democrats. Married to Andreas Seebach and mother of 3 children, the youngest born in 2015. (b. 1982-).

2011-14 Minister of Employment
2014-15 Minister of Justice BSc. Mette Frederiksen
Social Democrat MP since 2001, Deputy Parliamentary Leader 2005-11 and Party Leader from 2015. She is bachelor in Public Administration and Master in African Studies. Formerly married to Erik Harr and mother of 2 children. (b. 1977-)

2011-13 Minister of Social Affairs and Integration
2013 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
2013-14 Minister of Justice
cand.scient.pol. Karen Angelo Hækkerup
Social Democrat Member of the City Council of Copenhagen 1998-2005 and MP 2005-14 and became Executive Director of the Danish Association of Agriculture and Food in 2014. Married to MP Ole Hækkerup and mother of 3 children. Her brother-in-law Nick Hækkerup was also a minister in the government. (b. 1974-).

2011-13 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries cand.agro. Mette Gjerskov
Social Democrat MP from 2005 and Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group 2013-15, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Folketing 2013-15 and Chair of the Committee of European Affairs from 2015. (b. 1966-).
 

2011-13 Minister of Children
2011-15 Minister of
Education cand.comm. Christine Antorini
Vice-Chairperson of the Socialist People's Party 1991-98, MP for the Socialist People's Party 1998-99, MP for the Social Democrats since 2005 and Chair of the Education Committee from 2015. Formerly married to Henrik Dahl. Mother of 2 children. (b. 1965-).

2012-14 2. Vice-Prime Minister
2012-13 Minister for Business and Growth

2013-14 Minister of Social Affairs, Children and Integration cand.pæd. Annette Lilja Vilhelmsen
2001-11 Member of the Municipal Council and among others 2. Deputy Mayor of Kerteminde Byråd, MP 2011-15 and Leader of Socialstisk Folkeparti 2012-14. Married to John Vilhelmsen and mother of 2 sons. (b. 1959-).

2013 State Secretary for Development Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cand.merc. Charlotte Slente
Direktør for Udviklingspolitik. Ambassador to Bolicia 2007-09 and Under-Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2009-13. (b. 1966-).

2014- State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture cand.polit. Marie Hansen
Director of the Directorate of Employment 2002-13. (b. 1964-).

2014-15 Minister of Higher Education and Science cand.scient.pol. and MA Sofie Carsten Nielsen
MP from 2011, Vice-Chairperson of the Parliametary Group 2011-12 and from 2015, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group, Political Spokesperson of Det Radikale Venstre and Chairperson of the Finance Committee of the Folketing 2012-14 and Deputy Political Leader from 2014. Married to Rasmus Dalsgaard and mother of 2 sons. (b. 1975-).

2014-15 Minister of Environment cand.scient.soc. and MA Kirsten Brosbøl
Social Democrat MP since 2005. 2 sons with her her husband, Married to Daniel Raahauge. (b. 1977-).

2015- State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice cand.jur. Barbara Bertelsen
Former Chief of Department of the Ministry of Justice and Deputy Director of Agency for Modernisation. (b. 1973-).


2015-16 Minister of Children, Education and Equality
2016- Minister of Health MA. Ellen Trane Nørby
MP for the Rightwing Liberals from 2015 and Political Spokesperson 2011-12. Lives with of Ulrik Ryssel Albertsen and mother of two children born 2014 and 2017. (b. 1980-).

2015-16 Minister of Health and Seniors
2016- Minister of Public Innovation BA. Sophie Løhde
Sophie Løhde Jacobsen was mmber of the County Council of Frederiksborg 2001-07, Member of the Municipal Council 2005-07 and MP for the Rightwing Liberals from 2007. (b. 1983-).

2015- State Secretary for Foreign Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cand.jur. Lone Dencker Wisborg
Ambassador to Madrid 2011-15. (b. 1966-).

2016- Minister of Children and Social Affairs cand.scient.pol. Mai Mercado
MP from 2011, Group Secretary of the Conservatives 2012-14, Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group in 2014 and Political Spokesperson 2014-16. Married to Christopher Mercado and mother of 2 children. (b. 1980-).

2016- Minister of Education cand.mag.pæd Merete Riisager
Merete Riisager Andersen has been MP since 2011 and was Group Secretary of Liberal Alliance 2011-12. Married to Mogens Pedersen and mother of 2 children. (b. 1976-)-

2016- Minister of Culture and Church Affairs cand.scient.pol. and  mag.art Mette Bock
Vice-Chairperson of Radikale Venstre 2001-02, MP from 2011 and Group Secretary of the Liberal Alliance 2015-16 and Vice-Chair of the Parliament 2015-16. Her brother, Anders Samuelsen, is Leader of LA and Foreign Minister from 2016. She is married to Hans Jørn Bock and mother of 3 children. (b. 1957-).


2016- Minister of Seniors Thyra Frank
Thyra Frank Rasmussen was MP for the Liberal Alliance 2011-15. Married to Peter Camillo Rasmussen (b. 1952-).


Last update 25.02.2017

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