Poul Nielson is a Danish politician

Politics of Denmark

The Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...

, member of 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...

. He was Energy Minister in the Cabinet of Anker Jørgensen IV and V from 26 October 1979 to 10 September 1982, and Minister for Development Cooperation

Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark

Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark is a Danish minister office. The office was introduced with the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I on 25 January 1993. The minister works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark...

 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...

 from 27 September 1994 to 10 July 1999. On 17 September 1999 he became European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid when the Prodi Commission

Prodi Commission

The Prodi Commission was the European Commission in office between 1999 and 2004. The administration was led by former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.-History:...

took office.