Michael de Laine

By Michael de Laine, The Copenhagen Voice, 23 February 2010

Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen today named a series of new ministers in his Liberal-Conservative government after Søren Gade yesterday confirmed that he will be leaving not just his post of Minister of Defence, but also Danish politics.

Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Liberals) today named a series of new ministers in his Liberal-Conservative government.

The announcement – which has ended a long period of speculation about his government’s line-up in the period to the next parliamentary election, due in November 2011 at the latest – came after Søren Gade (Liberals) yesterday confirmed that he will be leaving not just his post of Minister of Defence, but also Danish politics.

According to observers, Gade has been sideswiped by a number of events in recent months that have put a heavy strain on his credibility as minister. These include leaks about military actions in Iraq that are said to have endangered the lives of Danish soldiers, as well as the way the Danish military have reacted to the publication of a book about the country’s special forces.

“Of course I respect Søren’s decision, but I also greatly regret it,” Lars Løkke Rasmussen said after Gade had told the Prime Minister during the weekend that he would step down. “Søren is a highly respected Defence Minister with great empathy, great involvement and great political ability, which have enabled him to carry out a very difficult task.”

One of Gade’s jobs as Minister of Defence has been to attend the funerals of Danish troops killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lene Espersen (Conservative) moves from the Ministry for Economic and Business Affairs to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, replacing Per Stig Møller (Conservative), who moves to the Ministry for Culture.

Culture Minister Carina Christensen (Conservatives) and Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs (Liberals) leave the government.

Brian Mikkelsen (Conservatives) moves from the Ministry for Justice to the Ministry for Economic and Business Affairs.

Karen Ellemann (Liberals) moves from the Ministry for the Interior and Social Affairs to the Ministry for the Environment, replacing Troels Lund Poulsen (Liberals), who moves to the Ministry for Taxation. Kristian Jensen leaves the Ministry for Taxation to become parliamentary group chairman for the Liberals.

Ellemann takes over the post as Minister for Nordic Cooperation from Bertel Haarder (Liberals).

Gitte Lillelund Bech (Liberals) replaces Søren Gade as Minister of Defence. Hans Christian Schmidt moves from the post of parliamentary group chairman for the Liberals to the Ministry for Transport, replacing Lars Barfoed (Conservatives), while Søren Pind (Liberals) takes over as Minister for Development Cooperation. Lars Barfoed becomes Minister for Justice.

The Ministry for the Interior will be combined with the Ministry for Health and Prevention under Bertel Haarder, who leaves the Ministry for Education. Haarder replaces Minister for Health and Prevention, Jakob Axel Nielsen, who leaves the government.

New Minister for Social Affairs is Benedikte Kiær (Conservatives), first deputy chair of the Capital region of Denmark. Tine Nedergaard, the Liberals’ financial affairs spokesperson, is named Minister for Education.

Helge Sander (Liberals) stops as Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation. Sander is replaced by Charlotte Sahl-Madsen (Conservatives), chair of the board of the Danfoss Universe hands-on science park.

Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Eva Kjer Hansen (Liberals) is replaced by Henrik Høegh, the Liberals’ spokesperson on food and agriculture.

Inger Støjberg (Liberals) continues as Minister for Employment, while the Ministry for Gender Equality is transferred to Lykke Friis (Liberals), who continues as Minister for Climate and Energy.

Claus Hjort Frederiksen (Liberals) continues as Minister for Finance. Birthe Rønn Hornbech (Liberals) continues as Minister for Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs and as Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs.