Government roulette continues

Who’s in and who’s out?

Feb 3, 2014

SF’s withdrawal from the government in the wake of the partial sale of DONG Energy to US investment bank Goldman Sachs has once again led to a shake-up in PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt’s (S) government

Along with new ministers taking over the spots left vacant by SF’s retreat, other ministers shifted spots. Here is a rundown of the latest ministerial lineup:

Morten Østergaard (R) takes over as tax minister from Jonas Dahl (SF). Østergaard had previously been the minister of higher education.

Nick Hækkerup (S) leaves his position as the trade and European affairs minister to take over as health minister. He replaces Astrid Krag (SF), who said that she is leaving SF and throwing her lot in with S.

Martin Lidegaard (R) moves from his post as climate and energy minister to take over from Holger Nielsen (SF) as foreign minister.

Depending on how you do the math, Lidegaard will either be the country’s fourth or fifth foreign minister in just 104 days.

Revolving Foreign Ministry door
After Villy Søvndal (SF) left the post last October due to health reasons, Hækkerup and former development minister Christian Friis Bach (R) temporarily split the workload.

After it was announced in December that Søvndal would not return, the now-departing Nielsen was appointed. He lasted 49 days.

Pia Olsen Dyhr’s (SF) post as transport minister now goes to Magnus Heunicke (S). It is Heunicke’s first time in a ministerial spot.

Møgens Jensen (S) also steps into his first ministerial job as the new trade and development minister.

Rasmus Petersen (S) leaves the Development Ministry to take over as climate minister.

Manu Sareen (R) is the new integration and children’s minister. He brings with him the ‘equality’ part of his former title as minister for the church, equality and Nordic Co-operation.

Ch-ch-ch-changes
Marianne Jelved (R) picks up the church part of Sareen’s old title and adds it to her role as culture minister.

Sofie Carsten Nielsen (R) is the new higher education minister and Kirsten Brosbøl (S) takes over the environment minister spot from Ida Auken (formerly SF, now R).

Carsten Hansen (S) stays on as urban, rural and housing minister and adds minister of Nordic co-operation to his duties.

In her two years at the helm, Thorning-Schmidt has announced six cabinet reshuffles.

The song remains the same
Nine ministerial positions remain unchanged

Helle Thorning-Schmidt (S) – Prime minister

Margrethe Vestager (R) – Economy and interior Minister

Bjarne Corydon (S) – Finance minister

Karen Hækkerup (S) – Justice minister

Nicolai Wammen (S) – Defence minister

Mette Frederiksen (S) – Employment minister

Henrik Sass Larsen (S) – Business and growth minister

Christine Antorini (S) – Education minister

Dan Jørgensen (S) – Food minister