Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Ministers of
Kongeriget Danmark/
Kingdom of Denmark
(Female Suffrage 1915) The
Rigsfælleskab – Commonwealth of the Realm consists of the Mainland of Denmark
and the self-governing external territories of
Greenland
and the
Faero Islands.
Detailed biographies of the ministers are found in List of Danish Female Ministers. Also see Denmark Heads of State and Denmark Parliament
1924-25
Minister of Education Nina Bang
Social Democrat. 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 in the Ministry of Social Affairs Fanny Jensen
Social
Democrat. Lived (1890-1969)
1950
Minister of Church Affairs Bodil Koch
1953-66 Minister of Church Affairs
1966-68 Minister of Cultural Affairs
Social
Democrat, and lived (1903-1972)
1950-53
Minister of Justice and Police Helga Pedersen
Rightwing
Liberal. Lived
(1911-1980)
1953-57
Minister of Trade, Industry and Shipping cand.polit Anne Lisbeth (Lis) Groes
Social
Democrat. Lived
(1911-74).
1966-68
Minister of Family Issues Camma Larsen-Ledet
Social
Democrat, and lived
(1915-91)
1968-71
Minister of Social Affairs Nathalie Lind
1973-75 Minister of Justice and Police and Minister of Cultural Affairs
1978-79 Minister of Justice and Police
Rightwing
Liberal. Lived (1918-99)
1971-73
Minister of Church Affairs Dorte Bennedsen
1978-82 Minister of Education
Social Democrat, daughter of Minister Bodil Koch. She lived (1938-2016)
1972-73
Minister of Social Affairs Eva Gredal
1975-78 Minister of Social Affairs
Social
Democrat. Lived (1927-95)
1973
Minister of Education Ritt Bjerregaard
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
Chairperson 1982 and 1987-91 of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats
and from Lord Mayor of Copenhagen. (b. 1941-)
1973-75
Minister of Education Tove Nielsen
Rightwing
Liberal.
(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 Lise
Østergaard
Social
Democrat. Lived
(1924-96)
1981-82
Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs and Minister for Greenland Tove
Lindbo-Larsen
Social
Democrat.
(b. 1928-)
1982-86
Minister of Interior Britta Caroc Schall Holberg
1986-87 Minister of Agriculture
Rightwing
Liberal.
(b. 1941-)
1982-86
Minister of Labour Grethe Fenger Møller
Political
Spokesperson of The Conservative People’s
Party 1986-87. (b. 1941-)
1982-84
Minister of Cultural Affairs Mimi Jakobsen
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 Industry
1994-96 2. Vice-Premier and Minister of Business and Industry
Chairperson of Centrum Demokraterne, The Center Democrats 1989-2005. (b. 1948-)
1982-84
Minister of Church Affairs Elsebeth Koch-Petersen
1984-86 Minister of Social Affairs
1988-89 Minister of Health
Rightwing
Liberal.
(b. 1949-)
1984-88
Minister of Church Affairs Mette Madsen
Rightwing
Liberal.
She lived (1924-2015).
1987-88
Minister of Health Agnete Laustsen
1988-90 Minister of Housing
Conservative. (b. 1935-)
1988-90
Minister of Environment Lone Dybkjær
Social Liberal. (b. 1940-)
1988-90
Minister of Social Affairs Aase Olesen
Social Liberal.
She lived
(1934-2013)
1989-93
Minister of Industry Anne Birgitte Lundholt
1990-93 Minister of Energy
Deputy Leader and Political
Spokesperson of the Conservative People's Party 1995-97 and Leadership-candidate
in 1997. (b. 1952- )
1989-93
Minister of Health Ester Larsen
Liberal.
(b. 1936)
1990-93
Minister of Social Affairs Else Winther Andersen
Rightwing
Liberal. (b. 1941-)
1990-93
Minister of Cultural Affairs mag.art. Grethe Fogh Rostbøll
Conservative.
(b. 1942-)
1993-94
2. Vice-Premier Minister
cand.pæd.
Marianne Jelved
1993- 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
Chairperson of the
Parliamentary Group 1988-93, 2001-07 and 2011-12 and Leader of The Social
Liberals 1990-2007, Deputy Group Chairperson in 2011
and Vice-Chairperson of the Folketing and Chairperson of the Finance Committee
2011-12. (b. 1943-)
1993-94
Minister for Development Aid in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Helle Degn
Social
Democrat.
(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
Social
Democrat.
(b.
1941-)
1993-98
Minister of Labour Jytte Andersen
1998-2000 Minister of Housing and
Cities
1999-2000 Minister for Equality
Social
Democrat.
(b. 1941-)
1993
Minister of Justice and Police Pia Gjellerup
1998-2000 Minister of Business and Industry
2000-01 Minister of Finance (Fourth in the Cabinet)
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Social Democrats
1994-98
and 2002-05.
(b.
1960-)
1993-96
Minister of Cultural Affairs Jytte Hilden
1996-98 Minister of Research and Information Technology
Social
Democrat.
(b. 1942-)
1993-94
Minister of Social Affairs Karen Jespersen
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
Social Democrat and from 2007 Rightwing Liberal (b. 1947-)
1994
Minister of Social Affairs Bente Juncker
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Centum Demokraterne 1993-94. (b. 1944-)
1994
Minister of Social Affairs Yvonne Herløv Andersen
1994-96 Minister of Health
Secretary General
1979-89
and
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Center Democrats 1982-84. (b. 1944-)
1998-2000
Minister of Traffic and Telecommunication Sonja Mikkelsen
2000 Minister of Health
Social
Democrat.
(b. 1955-)
1998-2001
Minister of Cultural Affairs Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen
Social Liberal.
(b. 1964-)
1998-2001
Minister of Education Margrethe Vestager
1998-2000 Minister of Church Affairs
2011-14 1. Vice-Prime Minister and
Minister of Economy and Interior
2014- EU-Commissioner for Competition
Party Chairperson of the Social Liberals 1993-97, Deputy Group Chairperson 2001-07, Group Chairperson and Party Leader from 2007. (b. 1968-)
2000-01
Minister of Housing and Cities and
Minister for Equality Lotte Koed Bundsgaard
Vice-Chairperson of the Social Democrats 2002-05
and Political Spokesperson 2005-06. (b.
1973-)
2000-01 Ministry for Development Aid
in the Foreign Ministry Anita Bay Bundegaard
Social Liberal.
(b. 1963-)
2001-08 Minister of Justice Lene Espersen
2006 Acting Minister of Family and Consumer Affairs (14.12-15.12)
2008-11 Deputy Prime Minister
2008-10 Minister of Economic and Business Affairs
2010-11 Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Leader 1999-2008, Political Spokesperson 1999-2001 and from 2014 and Leader of the Conservative People's Party 2008-11. (b. 1965-)
2001-04
Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Mariann Fischer Boel
2004-10 European Union Commissioner of Agriculture
Rightwing Liberal.
(b. 1943-)
2001-05 Minister of Church Affairs Tove Fergo
Rightwing Liberal. She lived (1946-2015)
2001-05 Minister of Education Ulla Tørnæs
2005-10 Minister of Development
Aid
in the Foreign Ministry
2016 Minister of Higher Education
and Science
2016- Minister or Development Cooperation
in the Foreign Ministry
Political Spokesperson of The Rightwing
Liberals 1998-2001. (b. 1962-)
2001-04 Minister
of Social Affairs and Minister of Equality Henriette Kjær
2004-05 Minister of Family
and Consumer Affairs
Political Spokesperson of Det
Konservative Folkeparti from 2007 and Group Chairperson from 2008.
(b. 1966-)
2004-07 Minister of Social
Affairs and Minister of Equality Eva Kjer Hansen
2007-10 Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods
2015-16 Minister
of Environment and Foods
Rightwing Liberal. (b. 1964-).
2004-07 Minister of Environment
Connie Hedegaard
2005-07 Minister of Nordic Cooperation
2007-09 Minister of Climate and Energy
2009 Minister for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
2010-14
European Union Commissioner for Climate
Political Spokesperson of Det
Konservative Folkeparti 1989-90. (b. 1961-).
2005-07 Minister
for Refugee, Immigration and
Integration Affairs Rikke Hvilshøj
Deputy Chairperson of the Group of Venstre
2001-05 and Acting Group Chairperson in 2005. (b. 1970-)
2006-07 Minister of Family
and Consumer Affairs Carina Christensen
2007-08 Minister of Transport
2008-10 Minister of Culture
Deputy Chairperson of the Conservative Parliamentary Group 2005-06 and Politican
Spokesperson in 2011. (b. 1972-)
2007-11
Minister
for Refugees, Immigration and
Integration Affairs
and Minister of Church Affairs
Birthe Rønn Hornbech
MP for the Rightwing Liberals. (b. 1943-).
2009-10 Minister of Interior and Social Affairs Karen Ellemann
2010-11 Minister
of Environment and Minister of Nordic Cooperation
2015-16 Minister of Interior
and Social Affairs
2016- Minister of Equality and Nordic Cooperation in the
Foreign Ministry
2017- Acting Minister of Health
MP for the
Rightwing Liberals from 2009. (b. 1969-)
2009-11 Minister of Employment Inger Støjberg
2009-10 Minister of Equality
2005-16 Minister of Housing
2015- Minister of Foreigners
and Integration
MP for
the Rightwing Liberals, Political Spokesperson and Deputy Group Chairperson at
various occations. (b. 1973-).
2009-11 Minister for Climate and Energy Lykke Friis
2010-11 Minister of Equality
MP for Rightwing Liberals 2011-13 (b. 1969-).
2010-11 Minister of Defence Gitte Lillelund Bech
MP for the Rightwing Liberals since 1999 and Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committe
2006-10. (b. 1969-).
2010-11 Minister of Social Affairs Benedikte Kiær
First Vice-Chairperson of the Capital Region 2005-09, Vice-Chairperson of Det Konservative Folkeparti
2009-11, MP and Political Spokesperson from 2011. (1970-).
2010-11 Minister of Education
Tina Nedergaard
Rightwing Liberal
MP 2003. (b. 1969-)
2010-11 Minister of
Science, Technology and Innovation Charlotte Sahl-Madsen
Member of the Conservative People's Party. (b.
1964).
2011-15 State Minister Helle
Thorning-Schmidt
Social Democrat Member of the European Parliament 1999-2004
and Member of the Parliament from 2005, Party Chairperson 2005-15 and 1.
Deputy Chair of the Parliament from 2015. Married to Stephen
Kinnock, British MP from 2015, and mother of two daughters. (b. 1966-)
2011-14 Minister of Employment Mette Frederiksen
2014-15
Minister of Justice
Social
Democrat MP from 2001 and Party Chairperson from 2015. (b. 1977-)
2011-14 Minister of Enviroment
Ida Auken
MP for the Socialist
People's Party 2007-15 and the Social Liberals from 2014. (b. 1978-)
2011-14 Minister of Health and Prevention Astrid Krag
MP from 2007 and
Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist People's Party
2007-11. Joined the Social Democrats in 2014. (b.
1982-)
2011-13 Minister of Foreign Trade and
Investments
in the Foreign Ministry
Pia Olsen Dyhr
2012 Acting Minister of Health and Prevention
2013 Acting Minister of Environment
2013-14 Minister of Transport
MP for the Socialist People's Party from 2007 and Party Chairperson from 2014. (b. 1971-)
2011-13 Minister of Social Affairs and Integration Karen
Hækkerup
2013 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
2013-14 Minister
of Justice
Social Democrat Member of the City Council of Copenhagen 1998-2005
and MP 2005-14. (b.
1974-)
2011-13 Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Mette
Gjerskov
Social Democrat MP from 2005, Deputy Group Chair 2013-11, Chair of the
Foreign Affairs Committee 2013-15 and of the Commitee of European Affairs from
2015. (b. 1966-)
2011-15 Minister of Education Christine Antorini
2011-13 Minister of
Children
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, Group Secretary
and Commitee of Educaiton from 2015.
2012-14 2. Deputy Prime Minister cand.pæd Annette Vilhelmsen
2012-13 Minister of Business and Growth
2013-14 Minister of Social Affairs and
Integration
Socialist People's Party MP from 2011 and Party Leader 2012-14.
2014-15 Minister of Higher Education and Science Sofie Carsten
Nielsen
MP for the Social Liberals from 2011, Vice-Chairperson 2011-12 and
from 2015, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group and Political Spokesperson
2012-14 and Deputy
Political Leader 2014-15. (b. 1975-)
2014-15 Minister of Environment Kirsten Brosbøl
Social Democrat MP since
2005. (b. 1977-)
2015-16 Minister of Children, Education and Equality Ellen
Trane Nørby
2016- Minister of Health
MP for the Rightwing Liberals from 2015 and Political
Spokesperson 2011-12. (b. 1980).
2015-16 Minister of Health and
Seniors Sophie Løhde
2016- Minister of Public Innovation in the Finance
Ministry
Member 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-).
2016- Minister of Children and Social Affairs 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. (b. 1980-)
2016- Minister of Education Merete Riisager
MP from 2011
and Group Secretary of Liberal Alliance from 2011-12. (b. 1977-)
2016-
Minister of Culture and Church Affairs
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 (b. 1957-)
2016- Minister of Seniors in the Health Ministry Thyra Frank
MP for the
Liberal Alliance 2011-15. (b 1952-)
Last update 25.02.17