Karen Jespersen
Encyclopedia
Karen Moustgaard Jespersen (born 17 January 1947 in Copenhagen) is a Danish
politician
representing the party Venstre
. Previously she was a member of the Left Socialists
, represented the Social Democrats
and was Social Minister from 25 January 1993 to 28 January 1994 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I
, and 27 September 1994 to 23 February 2000 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen II
, III
and IV
. She was Interior Minister 23 February 2000 to 27 November 2001 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV
. She has been a member of the Folketing
since 12 December 1990. On 12 September 2007 she replaced Eva Kjer Hansen
as Social Minister and Minister for Equal Rights in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II
, thus becoming the first Danish politician to have represented both political wings as a government minister. On 23 November 2007, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Family and Consumer Affairs and the Social Ministry were merged into a Ministry of Welfare, and Jespersen became Minister of Welfare in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III
. She held this post until April 2009 when Denmark changed prime ministers to Lars Løkke Rasmussen
.
In the book Islamister og Naivister: et anklageskrift (Islamists and Naivists: a bill of indictment), which she wrote together with her husband, political commentator Ralf Pittelkow, she warns of an underestimation of the Islamist threat. The book is a bestseller in Denmark.
On 14 January 2007, she declared that she was no longer member of the Social Democrats.
In a press release 1 February 2007, the Liberal
Party Venstre
announced that Karen Jespersen had joined the party and would be a candidate for parliament (Folketinget) in the next election.
Many media analysts speculated that the announcement had been held back for weeks and eventually used as a diversion from the criticism the Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen had experienced because of his alleged knowledge of Danish soldiers' handing down of Afghan prisoners to torture in American prison camps.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
representing the party Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
. Previously she was a member of the Left Socialists
Left Socialists
Left Socialists , a political party in Denmark. VS works on what it calls a 'undogmatic revolutionary and Marxist basis'.It was formed in 1967 as a split from the Socialist People's Party . VS was represented by the letter "Y" on the electoral ballots. VS members of parliament were respected and...
, represented the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
and was Social Minister from 25 January 1993 to 28 January 1994 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I
Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I
When the conservative Prime Minister Poul Schlüter resigned on the 15 January 1993 because of the Tamil Case, the leader of the Social Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen formed his first cabinet on the 25 January 1993. The cabinet consisted of the Social Democrats, the Social Liberal Party, the Centre...
, and 27 September 1994 to 23 February 2000 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen II
Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen II
After the 1994 Danish parliamentary election, the sitting Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen was able to form a government coalition of his own Social Democrats, the Danish Social Liberal Party and the Centre Democrats...
, III
Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen III
After the Centre Democrats left the government coalition in 1996, the sitting Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen was able to form a government coalition of his own Social Democrats and the Danish Social Liberal Party...
and IV
Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV
After the 1998 Danish parliamentary election, the sitting Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen was able to reform the government coalition of his own Social Democrats and the Danish Social Liberal Party...
. She was Interior Minister 23 February 2000 to 27 November 2001 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV
Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV
After the 1998 Danish parliamentary election, the sitting Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen was able to reform the government coalition of his own Social Democrats and the Danish Social Liberal Party...
. She has been a member of 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....
since 12 December 1990. On 12 September 2007 she replaced Eva Kjer Hansen
Eva Kjer Hansen
Eva Kjer Hansen is a Danish politician. She was the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries as member of the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II, III and the Cabinet of Lars Løkke Rasmussen from 12 September 2007 until 23 February 2010, and she was Social Minister and Minister for...
as Social Minister and Minister for Equal Rights 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...
, thus becoming the first Danish politician to have represented both political wings as a government minister. On 23 November 2007, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Family and Consumer Affairs and the Social Ministry were merged into a Ministry of Welfare, and Jespersen became Minister of Welfare in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen 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:...
. She held this post until April 2009 when Denmark changed prime ministers to Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Lars Løkke Rasmussen is a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from April 2009 to October 2011. He is the leader of the centre-right liberal party, Venstre....
.
In the book Islamister og Naivister: et anklageskrift (Islamists and Naivists: a bill of indictment), which she wrote together with her husband, political commentator Ralf Pittelkow, she warns of an underestimation of the Islamist threat. The book is a bestseller in Denmark.
On 14 January 2007, she declared that she was no longer member of the Social Democrats.
In a press release 1 February 2007, the Liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
Party Venstre
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
announced that Karen Jespersen had joined the party and would be a candidate for parliament (Folketinget) in the next election.
Many media analysts speculated that the announcement had been held back for weeks and eventually used as a diversion from the criticism the Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen had experienced because of his alleged knowledge of Danish soldiers' handing down of Afghan prisoners to torture in American prison camps.