Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Danish Local Leaders Denmark is divided 5 regions headed by a Chairperson of the Region (Regionsformand) and 98 municipalities headed by a Mayor (Borgmester). Until 2007 the country was devided into 15 Counties (Amter) headed by a County Mayor (amtsborgmester) and 275 municipalities headed by a mayor (borgmester). Until 1970 there was also a number of smal Village-councils Sogneråd.

Also see Denmark Ministers

Statsamtmand og Stiftamtmand (Translated as County Governor or State County Prefects they functioned as State representatives and chief administrative officers of the county authority and the state representative in the administration of the diocese) until 2007 and from then on Director of the Regional State Administration. The role as Stiftamtmand continued but the director is in charge of several dioceses. Their new titles in Danish are Statsforvaltningsdirektørm, Stiftsamtmand.

1978-81 Amtmand Bodil Norup Panild, Vestsjællands Amt
1981-2001 Statsamtmand of Vestsjælland Statsamt
She lived (1934-2003).

1997-2007 Statsamtmand Bente Flindt Sørensen, København og Frederiksberg
1997- Stiftamtmand for the Diocese of København (Copenhagen)
2006- Director of the State Administration for the Capital Region. (Statsforvaltningsdirektør for Hovedstadsregionen)
2007- Stiftamtmand for the Diocese of Helsingør
In 2006 she began the transition from the Statsamt of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg and parts of Sealand to new State Administration (Statsforvaltningen Hovedstaden)

1999-2007 Statsamtmand Ninna Würtzen, the County of Fyn
1999- Stiftsamtmand of the Diocese of Fyn
2006- Director of the Regional State Administration for the Region of Southern Denmark (Statsforvaltningen Syddanmark)
2007- Stiftamtmand of the Diocese of Haderslev
She headed the merger of a number of County Administrations into the State Administration of Southern Denmark

2001-07 Statsamtmand Vibeke Larsen, County of Vestsjælland (Denmark)
2005-07 Acting Statsamtmand of the County of Storstrøm
2005- Acting Stiftamtmand of the Diocese of Lolland-Falster
2006- Director of the State Administration for the Region of Sealand (Statsforvaltningen Sjælland)
2007- Stiftsamtmand of the Diocese of Roskilde
High Commissioner of the Danish External Territory the Faero Islands 1995-2001, and before that she was Assistant Secretary in a Local Government in Denmark. 2005 she was appointed to handle the transfer from the various Statsamts in Sealand to new State Administration of Sealand (Statsforvaltning Sjælland). (b. 1944-).

2007- Vice-Direktør of the State Administration of the Region of the Capital Helle Haxgart

County Mayor's -Amtsborgmester - until 2006.

1970-78 County Mayor Grete Kirketerp Nielsen, Nordjyllands Amt (County of Northern Jutland)
She was Liberal Party member of Hobro City Council 1950-54, member of the County Council of Ålborg 1954-70 as one of the 54 first female County Councillors in the country. As the first County Mayor of the new County of Nothern Jutland she lead the merger of the former Counties of Ålborg and Hjørring, member of the Executive Commitee of Venstre. Née Margrethe Bælum, and lived (1910-98).

1989-98 County Kirsten Ebbensgaard, Frederiksborg Amt (County of Frederiksborg)
Conservative Mayor of Frederiksværks 1982-86.

1994-2007 County Mayor Vibeke Storm Rasmussen, Københavns Amt (County of Copenhagen)
2006-07 Chairperson of the Implementation Committee for the Region of the Capital (Region Hovedstaden)
2007- Chairperson of the Region of the Capital (Region Hovedstaden)
The County of Greater Copenhagen, did not include the Municipalities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, but they will be included in the new Region that comes into existence in 2007, until then Vibeke Storm chairs the Implementation Council. She was elected with the votes of the leftwing Unity List because she is a Social Democrat, but they did not want to support her cooperation with the extreme rightwing and xenophobe Danish People's Party and together with the opposition they chair the 4 most important Committees.

1999-2002 Karen Nøhr, Fyns Amt (County of Funen)
Member of the Social Liberals.

Chairpersons of Regional Councils (Regionsformand) from 2006

2007- Chairperson of the Region of the Capital (Region Hovedstaden) Vibeke Storm Rasmussen
County Mayor of the County of Copenhagen 1994-2007.

2007- Chairperson of the Region of Northern Jutland (Region Nordjylland) Ulla Astman

Copenhagen/København

The Borgerepræsentation (City Council)
As the only city Copenhagen has a system with one Head Mayor and Mayors in charge of different Departements. Until 1998 the City Council, Borgerrepræsentationen, had its own Chairperson. From then on, the Head Mayor (Overborgmesteren) is Chairperson and the two deputies has the title of Viceoverborgmester

1913-21 and 1922-25 Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Alvilda Harbou Hoff
1925-29 Rådmand (Councillor/Deputy Mayor) of the 4th Department (Housing, Roads, Health)
Medical Doctor and Member of the City Council for the Social Liberals (Radikale Venstre) 1909-29, and lived (1862-1951).

1929-33 2. Vice-chairman of the City Council Karen Braae
Member of BR 1925-35 for the Social Liberals, 1935-52 Chairperson of Statens Husholdningsråd, (The National Advisory Council of Housekeeping), which was mainly in charge of consumer affairs. She lived (1882-1962).

1950-54 2. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Nina Andersen

1976-81 Chairperson of the City Council Gerda Louw Larsen
Active in the Social Democratic Party and member of the City Council 1970-92. Daughter of Julius Petersen and Ragnhild Louw and married to Kurt Lehd Larsen. (b. 1929-).

1982-86 2. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Agnete Laustsen
Minister of Health 1987-88 and 1988-90 Minister of Housing

1986-90 1. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Kirsten Petersen
Member of the Borgerrepræsentation for the Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals).

1986-89 4. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Birgit Berg

1989-94 2. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Bodil Jensen
1994-97 Chairperson of the City Council
She was Member of the Borgerrepræsentation (City Council) 1978-97 and (b. 1933-).

1994-98 1. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Jytte Iuel

1994-98 3. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Pastor Tove Fergo
From 2001 Minister of Church Affairs.

1998-2005 1. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Hellen Hedeman
2003  Acting Chairperson of the City Council (January-March)
2004 Acting Chief Mayor (25.10-27.10)
Member of the Socialist People's Party, she was acting during the absence of leave of the Overborgmester, who is also Chairman of the City Council according to the changes in the working of the City Council in 1998. Privously the Council had a seperate chairperson. In 2004 the Overborgmester resigned and she was acting until a replacement had been selected by the Social Democrats.

1998-2005 2. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Bente Frost
She was Mayor of City Planning and Transport  1994-98.

2006- 1. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council Mona Heiberg
Former Group Chairperson of the Social Democrat Group in the City Council and Chairperson of the Union of Hospitals of Copenhagen since 2005. Married to former MP Lars Kramer Mikkelsen. (b. 1948-).

2008-  Mayor of Culture and Leasure Pia Allerslev
Group Chairperson of Venstre in the City Council 2001-07. (b. 1972-).

Mayors of Departments in Copenhagen (Borgermestre i København)

1922-24 Councillor of Housing Avilda Harbou Hoff
She was Vice-Chairperson of the Borgerrepræsentation 1913-21. Her Danish title was Boligrådmand (Rådmand i 4. Afdeling). She was member of the City Council 1909-25 for the Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals), a medical doctor and lived (1862-1951). 

1938-44 Councillor in the 2. Department Thea Tønder
Rådmand i 2. Afdeling and Member of the City Council 1937-38 for the Social Democrats. She lived (1880-1944)

1942-62 Councillor of Social Affairs  Edel Saunte
1962 Councillor in the 5th Department
1962-74 Mayor of Social Affairs 
(Socialrådmand (Rådmand i 3. Afdeling, and 5. Afdeling) and later Socialborgmester (Borgmester i 3. Afdeling)). Member for the Social Democrats. She lived (1904-91).

1944-46 Councillor in the 2nd Department Helga Larsen
Also Member of the Parliament and Member of the City Council 1913-44 for the Social Democrats. She lived (1884-1947).

1960-62 Councillor in the 3rd Department Oda M. Andersen
Rådmand i Tredje Magistrat. Member of the City Council 1943-66 for the Conservative People's Party and also sometime member of the Parliament. She lived (1901-96).

1970-78 Mayor of Tramways, Energy, Transport and Artisans Lilly Lolk Helveg Petersen
(Sporvejsborgmester (Borgmester for Sporvogne, Energi, Transport og Håndværk)) Her husband was Minister of Education and her son, Niels Helveg Petersen, has held a number of Ministerial Posts. She lived (1911-2005).

1982-98 Mayor of Energy, Environment and Food Safety Charlotte Ammundsen
(Borgmester for Magistratens 5. afdeling (Miljøborgmester)). Member of Socialist People's Party, and lived (1947-2003).

1986-89 Mayor of City Planning and Transport Gunna Starck
(Byplans- og trafikborgmester)

1989-98 Mayor of Social Affairs Winnie Larsen-Jensen
1998-2002 Mayor for Family and Labour Market 
(Socialborgmester and Familie- og Arbejdsmarkedsborgmester) Member of the Social Democrats. (b. 1954-).

1994-98 Mayor of City Planning and Transport Bente Frost
1998-2006 2. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council
(Byplans- og trafikborgmester). Member of Venstre, the Liberal Party.

2002-06 Mayor of Health and Care Inger Marie Bruun-Vierø
(Sundheds- og omsorgsborgmester). Member of the City Council for the Social Liberals, Radikale Venstre 1990-2005. (b. 1942-).

2002-06 Mayor of Environment and Supply Winnie Berndtson
(Miljø- og forsyningsborgmester)
2003 Acting Lord Mayor (January-March)
She was acting during the absence of leave of the Overborgmester. 2004 she was candidate for the post of Chief Mayor's candidate in the Social Democrat-primary, but finished fourth, and a few days later she also lost the vote in the Social Democrat Council Group on who was to hold the office of Chief Mayor until the elections in November 2005, later she was again candidate for a Mayorship in the Party's internal elections but as she lost, and when she did not get a post in the Committee she wanted, she left the party and joined the right-wing group of parties. (b. 1964-).

2004 Acting Lord Mayor Hellen Hedeman (25.10-27.10)
Member of the Socialist People's Party, she has been 1. Vice-Chairperson of the City Council 1998 and was Acting Council Chair January-March 2003 during the absence of leave of the Overborgmester, who is also Chairman of the City Council according to the changes in the working of the City Council in 1998. Privously the Council had a seperate chairperson. In 2004 the Overborgmester resigned and she was acting until a replacement had been elected by the Social Democrats.

2006- Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard
She will take office as Overborgmester 1. january 2006. (b. 1941-)

First female mayors

1913-17 Sognerådsformand Lovise Nielsen, Ebeltoft Landsogn
She was Chairperson of the Parish Council of Ebeltoft. Elected from a local Women's List.

1921 Sognerådsformand A. Brixtofte, Køge Landdistrikt

1923-29 Chairman of Den Sociale Hjælpekasse Gudrun Vang Lauridsen, Vejen 
Member of Hjælpekassen, the Social Assistance 1921-29, member of the Upper house (Landstinget) 1934-39 for the Conservative party, and lived (1879-1941)

1925-33 and 1935-46 Vice-Mayor Merete Cathrine Westergaard, Ebeltoft
1936 Marriage-Official (Giftefoged)
She lived (1871-1946)

1946 Acting Sognerådsformand Käte Høy, Egernsund Landdistrikt

1950-51 Borgmester Eva Madsen, Stege
Member of the Town Council 1926-51 for Det Radikale Venstre. She Lived (1884-1972). The three next female mayors were elected in 1970: Camma Larsen-Ledet of Åbenrå, Karen Møller of Karlebo and the Mayor of Hasle.

1950 Sognerådsformand Karen Lamp, Brørup

Some of the frst women elected to local office

1905-11 Member Mary Westenholz, The Guardinan Council of Hørsholm Parish
1908-14 Chairperson of Hørsholm Social Insurance Committee (Sociale Hjælpekasse)
Later MF for the Social Liberals.

1908-17 Member Camilla Nielsen, the Frederiksberg Social Insurance Committee (Sociale Hjælpekasse)
1917-? Member of the Frederiksberg Municipal Council
(b. 1856-)

1909-15 Member Gerda Mundt, Lyngby Parish Council

1910-14 Member Wilhelmine Rerup, Copenhagen City Council
(b. 1860-)

1913-25 Vice-Chairperson Elisa Ussing, Copenhagen Guardian Council
1925-? Chairperson
(b. 1885-)

1913-21 Member Ester Laub, Frørup Parish Council (Sogneråd)

Last update 01.01.08