Denmark's largest cabinet in history: Major cabinet reshuffle and details of the new ministerial changes

The Danish Prime Minister's office announced a major cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, August 29, 2024, including the creation of three new ministries. The reshuffle includes new appointments to key positions as part of the government's efforts to strengthen its performance and address the current challenges facing the country, according to a press conference held yesterday.

Read also | “A strange government”: Highlights from yesterday’s government press conference

Among the most notable changes are the creation of a new Ministry for the Green Deal, a Ministry for European Affairs, and a Ministry for Emergencies. These changes brought several surprises to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's cabinet, including the departure of two prominent Social Democratic Party figures, one of whom was the Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, who is now considering running for mayor of Copenhagen in the upcoming municipal elections.

The new ministers and details of their duties:

• Minister of the Green Agreement
  Jeppe Brose of the Social Democratic Party was appointed as the first minister for this new portfolio. Brose previously served as Minister of Taxation, and his new task is to ensure the implementation of the Green Cooperation Agreement in collaboration with the parliamentary parties.
• Minister for European Affairs
  Marie-Pierre Beyer of the Venstre Liberal Party has been appointed Minister for Europe in a completely new ministry. Beyer previously served as Minister for Digitalization and Equality, and her new role will focus on strengthening support for Ukraine and coordinating efforts during Denmark's upcoming presidency of the European Union. Beyer described the new position as a clear promotion, emphasizing its importance to Denmark and Europe.
• Minister of Emergency
  Torsten Schaak Pedersen of the Liberal Party (Venstre) has been appointed Minister for Emergencies. Pedersen, who also serves as the party's political spokesperson, will be responsible for centralizing emergency tasks related to national security, climate change, cyberattacks, and responding to adverse environmental events.

Other ministers:

• Minister for Social Affairs and Housing Sophie Hestrup Andersen, the mayor of Copenhagen, has been appointed Minister for Social Affairs and Housing to replace Pernille Rosenkrantz Till of the Social Democratic Party.
• Minister for Digitalization Caroline Stage-Olsen has been appointed Minister for Digitalization. She is a completely new figure on the political scene and was a special advisor to Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
• Tax Minister Rasmus Stocklund, the Social Democratic Party's official spokesperson for research and education, has been appointed to succeed Libby Brose as tax minister.

A government with the largest number of ministers in Danish history

With these new appointments, the number of ministers in the government has risen to 25, a record high in Danish history. The new ministers will be presented to the King this morning at 11:00 AM, followed by a press conference where the Prime Minister will introduce them to the media and the public.

Although these amendments reflect the government’s focus on environmental, European and community security issues and show Denmark’s readiness to face future challenges by strengthening its political and administrative capabilities, they do not hide the challenges and disagreements that the three ruling parties face in several files, most notably the file of Danish pensions.