Thorning-Schmidt I Cabinet

Thorning-Schmidt Cabinet

50th Cabinet of Denmark
Date formed 3 October 2011
Date dissolved 3 February 2014
People and organisations
Head of government Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Head of state Margrethe II of Denmark
Member party
Status in legislature Coalition
Opposition party Venstre
Opposition leader Lars Løkke Rasmussen
History
Election(s) parliamentary election
Incoming formation 2011
Outgoing formation 2014
Predecessor Løkke Rasmussen Cabinet
Successor Thorning-Schmidt Cabinet II

The cabinet of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt was the cabinet government of Denmark from 3 October 2011[1] to 3 February 2014. It was a coalition between the Social Democrats, the Danish Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People's Party. On 9 August 2013, Helle Thorning-Schmidt made a cabinet reshuffle and on 12 December 2013, she made a second cabinet reshuffle. The cabinet resigned on 3 February 2014, following the Socialist People's Party left the government on 30 January 2014. It was succeeded by the Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt II

Because of the government's minority status and its dependency on the support of the opposition, Venstre, the government had to jettison many of the policies that it had given during the election campaign. Although critics have accused the government of breaking its promises, other studies argue that it has already accomplished half of its stated goals, blaming instead poor public relations strategies for its increasingly negative public image.[2]

Government formations

At the parliamentary election on 15 September 2011, the governing Liberal Party remained the single largest party with the addition of one seat while the Social Democrats lost a seat. However, a three-party coalition of opposition parties together with the supporting Red-Green Alliance won a larger share of seats than the incumbent Liberal-Conservative government and their supporting parties the Liberal Alliance and Danish People's Party.[3] Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen then tendered the cabinet's resignation to Queen Margrethe II on 16 September,[4] following which she met with the leaders of all parties. She then tasked Social Democrat Helle Thorning-Schmidt with negotiating the formation of a new government. Rasmussen's cabinet remained in office as a caretaker government until 3 October, when Thorning-Schmidt's cabinet was sworn in making her the first female Prime Minister.[5] The Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People's Party also became part of the three-party government.[6] It was the first time the Socialist People's Party joined a government since its foundation in 1959.[3]

On 30 January 2014 Annette Vilhelmsen, the leader of Socialist People's Party announced that the party would be leaving government, the result of extended turmoil over the proposed sale of DONG Energy shares to Goldman Sachs.[7]

List of ministers and portfolios

The Social Democrats had ten ministers including the Prime Minister. The smaller Social Liberal Party and Socialist People's Party each had six ministers.[1]

Portfolio Minister Tookoffice Leftoffice Party
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt3 October 20113 February 2014Social Democrats
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economy and Interior Margrethe Vestager3 October 20113 February 2014Social Liberals
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs Villy Søvndal3 October 201112 December 2013Socialist People's
 Holger K. Nielsen12 December 201330 January 2014Socialist People's
Minister for Development Cooperation Christian Friis Bach3 October 201121 November 2013Social Liberals
 Rasmus Helveg Petersen21 November 20133 February 2014Social Liberals
Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen3 October 20119 August 2013Social Democrats
 Nick Hækkerup9 August 20133 February 2014 (abolished)Social Democrats
Minister for Trade and Investment Pia Olsen Dyhr3 October 20119 August 2013 (abolished)Socialist People's
Ministry of Finance
Minister for Finance Bjarne Corydon3 October 20113 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Justice
Minister for Justice Morten Bødskov3 October 201112 December 2013Social Democrats
 Karen Hækkerup12 December 20133 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Defence
Minister for Defence Nick Hækkerup3 October 20119 August 2013Social Democrats
 Nicolai Wammen9 August 20133 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Culture
Minister for Culture Uffe Elbæk3 October 20115 December 2012Social Liberals
 Marianne Jelved6 December 20123 February 2014Social Liberals
Ministry of Taxation
Minister for Taxation Thor Möger Pedersen3 October 201116 October 2012Socialist People's
 Holger K. Nielsen16 October 201212 December 2013Socialist People's
 Jonas Dahl12 December 201330 January 2014Socialist People's
Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education
Minister for Research, Innovation and Higher Education Morten Østergaard3 October 20113 February 2014Social Liberals
Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs
Minister for Business and Growth Ole Sohn3 October 201116 October 2012Socialist People's
 Annette Vilhelmsen16 October 20129 August 2013Socialist People's
 Henrik Sass Larsen9 August 20133 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Affairs
Minister for the City, Housing and Rural Affairs Carsten Hansen3 October 20113 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Employment
Minister for Employment Mette Frederiksen3 October 20113 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Education
Minister for Education Christine Antorini3 October 20113 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Social Affairs
Minister for Integration and Social Affairs Karen Hækkerup3 October 20119 August 2013Social Democrats
 Annette Vilhelmsen9 August 201330 January 2014Socialist People's
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (Denmark)
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Mette Gjerskov3 October 20119 August 2013Social Democrats
 Karen Hækkerup9 August 201312 December 2013Social Democrats
 Dan Jørgensen12 December 20133 February 2014Social Democrats
Ministry of Climate and Energy
Minister for Climate and Energy Martin Lidegaard3 October 20113 February 2014Social Liberals
Ministry of Transport
Minister for Transport Henrik Dam Kristensen3 October 20119 August 2013Social Democrats
 Pia Olsen Dyhr9 August 201330 January 2014Socialist People's
Ministry of Health
Minister for Health and Prevention Astrid Krag3 October 201130 January 2014Socialist People's
Ministry of the Environment
Minister for the Environment Ida Auken3 October 201130 January 2014Socialist People's
Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs
Minister for Equality, Church and Nordic Cooperation Manu Sareen3 October 20113 February 2014Social Liberals
Preceded by
Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Cabinet of Denmark
2011-2014
Succeeded by
Helle Thorning-Schmidt II
Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt in front of Amalienborg

References

  1. 1 2 "Here are Denmark’s new ministers". The Copenhagen Post. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  2. Weaver, Ray (May 18, 2012). "Government on track but off message". The Copenhagen Post. Retrieved September 20, 2012. Governmental parties are taking a beating at the polls, but recent study shows they’ve accomplished half their goals [...] Many feel that the Socialdemokraterne-Radikale-Socialistisk Folkeparti (S-R-SF) government, which has been slipping further and further down in the polls, has not done an effective job letting the public know when it gets something right.
  3. Xuan, Min (16 September 2011). "Danish PM tenders resignation to Queen". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  4. "Denmark to get 1st female PM after left wins vote". Dawn. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  5. "Danish PM-elect seen unveiling govt Sunday". Reuters. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  6. "SF leaves government, Vilhelmsen steps down". The Copenhagen Post . 30 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
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