Ritt Bjerregaard
Encyclopedia
Ritt Bjerregaard is a former Danish politician
. She is a member of the Danish Social Democrats
, and was Lord Mayor of Copenhagen from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2009. She was Copenhagen's first female Lord Mayor.
Bjerregaard was Education Minister
in 1973 and from 1975 to 1978 in the Cabinets of Anker Jørgensen I, II and III, and Social Minister from 1979 to 1981 in Anker Jørgensen's fourth cabinet. She was European Commissioner for the Environment from 1995 to 1999 and Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV
from 2000 to 2001.
, and Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
. In 1970, she was elected to the Odense
City Council where she served just one term and resigned in 1973. Ritt Bjerregaard won the election for Lord Mayor of Copenhagen for the Social Democrats on 16 November 2005.
Ritt Bjerregaard was the European Commissioner
for Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection in the Santer Commission
from 1995 to 1999, representing Denmark. She has attended at least one Bilderberg Group
meeting on 8–11 June 1995. She has also attendeed Trilateral Commission meetings in 1992, 1998 and 2002.
She has been involved with various organisations. She was vice-president of both CSCE
's Parliamentary Assembly and Socialist International Women
from 1992 to 1994.
(primary school) teacher until 1970. In 1971, she became assistant professor at Odense College of Education. She has been married to historian Søren Mørch since 1966.
In her spare time, she is a gardener in her organically-managed
manor, mostly growing apples.
in Paris during a Unesco
conference, and this forced her to step down when it became known. In the early 1990s it was revealed she had used her connections within the Social Democratic organisations to get a large flat in Copenhagen, although she rarely used it, living on Funen
. She was then forced to step down as parliamentary group leader
of the Social Democrats. At one occasion, she used her political status to hold back a Great Belt
ferry. When asked by the Council of Agriculture what she wished for her 50th birthday, she replied she would rather just have money than a gift.
On 11 July 2007, Ritt claimed she never promised Copenhageners would get 5,000 cheap dwellings within five years, but merely that she would work for that aim. She claimed many unexpected and legal obstacles had come about, and that the government obstructed the issue. She also expected, however, that the 5,000 flats would be ready within 7–10 years.
In return, Ritt claimed that Larsen-Jensen "suffered personal problems" which could not be commented in public.
The opposition, as well of the left-wing fractions, have accused Ritt of a dictatorial conduct and obstructing their insight into political cases.
s and postcard
s with the word Welcome, costing a total of 430,000 kroner (81,000 USD), without asking the city council. The doormats were placed on the city hall square as part of an openness campaign. Later they were distributed to the city's libraries and kindergartens.
:
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...
. She is a member of the Danish 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 Lord Mayor of Copenhagen from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2009. She was Copenhagen's first female Lord Mayor.
Bjerregaard was Education Minister
Education Minister of Denmark
Minister Children and Education of Denmark is a Danish minister office currently held by Christine Antorini .The office was created in 1916 when the post Kultus Minister was split up into the posts of Education Minister and Church Minister...
in 1973 and from 1975 to 1978 in the Cabinets of Anker Jørgensen I, II and III, and Social Minister from 1979 to 1981 in Anker Jørgensen's fourth cabinet. She was European Commissioner for the Environment from 1995 to 1999 and Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (Denmark)
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark is the politically appointed head of the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and a member of the Cabinet...
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...
from 2000 to 2001.
Political career
She was a member of the Danish parliament (Folketinget) from 21 September 1971 to 22 January 1995 and from 20 November 2001 until 8 February 2005. She was a minister of various cabinets under Anker JørgensenAnker Jørgensen
Anker Jørgensen is a former Danish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He led or represented the Social Democratic Party for well over 30 years.-Early political and personal life:...
, and Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen , informally Poul Nyrup, born 15 June 1943), was Prime Minister of Denmark from 25 January 1993 to 27 November 2001 and is currently President of the Party of European Socialists . He was the leader of the governing Social Democrats from 1992 to 2002...
. In 1970, she was elected to the 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...
City Council where she served just one term and resigned in 1973. Ritt Bjerregaard won the election for Lord Mayor of Copenhagen for the Social Democrats on 16 November 2005.
Ritt Bjerregaard was the European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
for Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection in the Santer Commission
Santer Commission
The Santer Commission was the European Commission in office between 23 January 1995 and 15 March 1999. The administration was led by Jacques Santer ....
from 1995 to 1999, representing Denmark. She has attended at least one Bilderberg Group
Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group, Bilderberg conference, or Bilderberg Club is an annual, unofficial, invitation-only conference of approximately 120 to 140 guests from North America and Western Europe, most of whom are people of influence. About one-third are from government and politics, and two-thirds from...
meeting on 8–11 June 1995. She has also attendeed Trilateral Commission meetings in 1992, 1998 and 2002.
She has been involved with various organisations. She was vice-president of both CSCE
CSCE
CSCE may refer to* Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange which merged to form the New York Board of Trade* Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe...
's Parliamentary Assembly and Socialist International Women
Socialist International Women
Socialist International Women is the international organization of the women's organizations of the socialist, social democratic and labour parties affiliated to the Socialist International. The organization was established on August 17, 1907.....
from 1992 to 1994.
Personal life
After getting her teachers' certificate in 1964 she worked as a folkeskoleFolkeskole
The Danish-Norwegian term Folkeskole may refer to any of the following:* Danish Folkeskole Education, the Danish primary and lower secondary educational system* Volksschule, a historical primary school system that was in use in Germany...
(primary school) teacher until 1970. In 1971, she became assistant professor at Odense College of Education. She has been married to historian Søren Mørch since 1966.
In her spare time, she is a gardener in her organically-managed
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
manor, mostly growing apples.
Controversy
During her time as minister of education in 1978, she stayed in a luxury suite at the Ritz HotelHôtel Ritz Paris
The Hôtel Ritz is a grand palatial hotel in the heart of Paris, the 1st arrondissement. It overlooks the octagonal border of the Place Vendôme at number 15...
in Paris during a Unesco
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
conference, and this forced her to step down when it became known. In the early 1990s it was revealed she had used her connections within the Social Democratic organisations to get a large flat in Copenhagen, although she rarely used it, living on Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
. She was then forced to step down as parliamentary group leader
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
of the Social Democrats. At one occasion, she used her political status to hold back a Great Belt
Great Belt
The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...
ferry. When asked by the Council of Agriculture what she wished for her 50th birthday, she replied she would rather just have money than a gift.
'5,000 Cheap Flats' promise
Her main campaign promise for the city council elections of 2005 was to erect 5,000 cheap dwellings for 5,000 kroner (948 USD) rent a month within 5 years, should she be elected Lord Mayor. This would allow an average-earning couple, such as policemen and nurses, to gain access to the expensive housing market in Copenhagen. Economists and other experts criticised the plan for being impossible to implement. As of the summer of 2007, twelve such flats had been built.On 11 July 2007, Ritt claimed she never promised Copenhageners would get 5,000 cheap dwellings within five years, but merely that she would work for that aim. She claimed many unexpected and legal obstacles had come about, and that the government obstructed the issue. She also expected, however, that the 5,000 flats would be ready within 7–10 years.
Leadership
Since the November 2005 city elections, three prominent Social Democrats have left their fraction: Winnie Berndtson, Finn Rudaizky and Winnie Larsen-Jensen. In June 2007, long-time city politician Larsen-Jensen claimed:
As a city council member I have experienced four Lord Mayors. Ritt is the most autocratic, absolutist, centralist and undemocratic of all.
In return, Ritt claimed that Larsen-Jensen "suffered personal problems" which could not be commented in public.
The opposition, as well of the left-wing fractions, have accused Ritt of a dictatorial conduct and obstructing their insight into political cases.
Doormats
As one of her first acts as Lord Mayor, Ritt ordered a great number of doormatDoormat
Doormat may refer to:* A No Doubt song* Mat...
s and postcard
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
s with the word Welcome, costing a total of 430,000 kroner (81,000 USD), without asking the city council. The doormats were placed on the city hall square as part of an openness campaign. Later they were distributed to the city's libraries and kindergartens.
Office refurbishment
In August 2007, Ritt ordered custom designed furniture for her Lord Mayor office at a price of 850,000 kroner (USD 161,000).2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference
Quote from Der SpiegelDer Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
:
Copenhagen's city council in conjunction with Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard sent postcards out to 160 Copenhagen hotels urging COP15(United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009) guests and delegates to 'Be sustainable – don't buy sex'.
"Dear hotel owner, we would like to urge you not to arrange contacts between hotel guests and prostitutes," the approach to hotels says.
Now, Copenhagen prostitutes are up in arms, saying that the council has no business meddling in their affairs. They have now offered free sex to anyone who can produce one of the offending postcards and their COP15 identity card, according to the Web site avisen.dk.