Bendt Bendtsen
Encyclopedia
Bendt Bendtsen is a Danish
Member of the European Parliament
. He was the leader of the Conservative People's Party
from 1999 to 2008. He was the Minister of Trade and Industry from 2001 to 2008 under Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
.
Bendtsen was born in Odense
. Before being elected to the Folketing
, he worked in the police in Odense; he became a member of the Odense City Council in 1989, and he was Vice-Chairman of the Odense Criminal Police Association from 1989 to 1992. He was a temporary member of the Folketing for the Conservative Party, representing Funen County constituency, from 5 April to 24 April 1994, and he was subsequently elected as a Conservative member of the Folketing from Funen County constituency in the parliamentary election
held on 21 September 1994. He has remained a member of the Folketing since 1994; in the November 2007 parliamentary election
he was elected from the Funen greater constituency.
He was the Conservative Party's social policy spokesman from 1994 to 1995, its labour market spokesman from 1995 to 1998, and its legal policy spokesman from 1998 to 1999. He became the political leader of the Conservative Party on 5 August 1999 and became the party's Chairman in November 2000. Following the November 2001 parliamentary election
, he became Minister for Economic and Business Affairs and Minister for Nordic Cooperation on 27 November 2001 in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I
. He left the post of Minister for Nordic Cooperation on 18 June 2002, but remained Minister for Economic and Business Affairs. He retained the latter post in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
(2005) and III
(2007). On 9 September 2008, he tendered his resignation as leader of the party, which then elected Lene Espersen
as leader, also resigning from his post as minister.
In the Parliament he is part of the European People's Party
which is the biggest political grouping the parliament.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
. He was the leader of the Conservative People's Party
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
from 1999 to 2008. He was the Minister of Trade and Industry from 2001 to 2008 under Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a Danish politician, and the 12th and current Secretary General of NATO. Rasmussen served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 27 November 2001 to 5 April 2009....
.
Bendtsen was born in Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
. Before being elected to the Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
, he worked in the police in Odense; he became a member of the Odense City Council in 1989, and he was Vice-Chairman of the Odense Criminal Police Association from 1989 to 1992. He was a temporary member of the Folketing for the Conservative Party, representing Funen County constituency, from 5 April to 24 April 1994, and he was subsequently elected as a Conservative member of the Folketing from Funen County constituency in the parliamentary election
Danish parliamentary election, 1994
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 21 September 1994. The coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Danish Social Liberal Party and the Centre Democrats led by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen remained in power despite the Christian People's Party, which had been part of the government,...
held on 21 September 1994. He has remained a member of the Folketing since 1994; in the November 2007 parliamentary election
Danish parliamentary election, 2007
The 66th Folketing election in Denmark was held on 13 November 2007. The election allowed prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to continue for a third term in a coalition government consisting of the Liberals and the Conservative People's Party with parliamentary support from the Danish People's...
he was elected from the Funen greater constituency.
He was the Conservative Party's social policy spokesman from 1994 to 1995, its labour market spokesman from 1995 to 1998, and its legal policy spokesman from 1998 to 1999. He became the political leader of the Conservative Party on 5 August 1999 and became the party's Chairman in November 2000. Following the November 2001 parliamentary election
Danish parliamentary election, 2001
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 20 November 2001. For the first time since the 1924 the Social Democrats did not win the most seats. Anders Fogh Rasmussen of the centre-right Venstre became Prime Minister in coalition with the Conservative People's Party, as the head of the first...
, he became Minister for Economic and Business Affairs and Minister for Nordic Cooperation on 27 November 2001 in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I
After the 2001 Danish parliamentary election, Anders Fogh Rasmussen was able form a government coalition of his own Liberal Party Venstreand the Conservative People's Party. It was a minority government with the parliamentary support of the Danish People's Party. The resulting cabinet is called the...
. He left the post of Minister for Nordic Cooperation on 18 June 2002, but remained Minister for Economic and Business Affairs. He retained the latter post in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen retained his parliamentary support in the 2005 Danish parliamentary election, and was able to continue as head of his government. On 18 February 2005, he presented his updated cabinet, the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II...
(2005) and III
Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III
The third Cabinet of Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen was announced on November 23, 2007.-Changes from the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II:...
(2007). On 9 September 2008, he tendered his resignation as leader of the party, which then elected Lene Espersen
Lene Espersen
Lene Espersen is a Danish politician and member of parliament who has been Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs since 23 February 2010 and was leader of the Conservative People's Party and Deputy Prime Minister from 9 September 2008 to 13 January 2011...
as leader, also resigning from his post as minister.
Member of the European Parliament
Bendt Bendtsen was elected to the European Parliament in the 2009 elections. He is a Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, substitute in the Budgets Committee and substitute in the Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis.In the Parliament he is part of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
which is the biggest political grouping the parliament.