List of heads of government of Denmark
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The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government of the Kingdom of Denmark and leader of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the Monarch, who is head of state.
The first four heads of government were titled premierminister (lit. 'prime minister'), between 1855 and 1920 the title was Konseilspræsident (lit. 'council president'). Since 1920, the title has been Danish: statsminister (lit. 'Minister of State').[1]
Denmark's current prime minister is Mette Frederiksen representing the social democratic party Social Democrats. Mette Frederiksen took office on 27 June 2019, taking over the position from Lars Løkke Rasmussen, representing the liberal party Venstre. Frederiksen is also the second female prime minister in the history of the country, after fellow socialist party colleague Helle Thorning-Schmidt who served from 2011 to 2015.
List of prime ministers (1848–1855)
[edit]No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) |
Term of office | Party | Election | Cabinet coalition |
Monarch (reign) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
1 | ![]() |
Adam Wilhelm Moltke (1785–1864) |
22 March 1848 | 27 January 1852 | 3 years, 311 days | Independent | — | Moltke I H–N |
Frederick VII (1848–1863) | |
— | Moltke II H | |||||||||
1849 | ||||||||||
— | Moltke III H | |||||||||
— | Moltke IV H | |||||||||
2 | ![]() |
Christian Albrecht Bluhme (1794–1866) |
27 January 1852 | 21 April 1853 | 1 year, 84 days | Højre | 1852 | Bluhme I H–N | ||
Feb. 1853 | ||||||||||
3 | ![]() |
Anders Sandøe Ørsted (1778–1860) |
21 April 1853 | 12 December 1854 | 1 year, 235 days | Independent | — | Ørsted H | ||
May 1853 | ||||||||||
4 | ![]() |
Peter Georg Bang (1797–1861) |
12 December 1854 | 12 October 1855 | 304 days | Independent | 1854 | Bang N |
List of council presidents (1855–1918)
[edit]No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) |
Term of office | Party | Election | Cabinet coalition |
Monarch (reign) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
(4) | ![]() |
Peter Georg Bang (1797–1861) |
12 October 1855 | 18 October 1856 | 1 year, 6 days | Independent | 1855 | Bang N |
Frederick VII (1848–1863) | |
5 | ![]() |
Carl Christoffer Georg Andræ (1812–1893) |
18 October 1856 | 13 May 1857 | 207 days | Bondevennerne | — | Andræ H–N | ||
6 | ![]() |
Carl Christian Hall (1812–1888) |
13 May 1857 | 2 December 1859 | 2 years, 203 days | National Liberal | — | Hall I N | ||
1858 | ||||||||||
7 | ![]() |
Carl Edvard Rotwitt (1812–1860) [a] |
2 December 1859 | 8 February 1860 † | 69 days | Bondevennerne | — | Rotwitt B | ||
— | ![]() |
Carl Frederik Blixen-Finecke (1822–1873) Acting |
8 February 1860 | 24 February 1860 | 16 days | Independent | — | |||
(6) | ![]() |
Carl Christian Hall (1812–1888) |
24 February 1860 | 31 December 1863 | 3 years, 310 days | National Liberal | — | Hall II N | ||
1861 | ||||||||||
Christian IX (1863–1906) | ||||||||||
8 | ![]() |
Ditlev Gothard Monrad (1811–1887) |
31 December 1863 | 11 July 1864 | 193 days | National Liberal | — | Monrad N | ||
(2) | ![]() |
Christian Albrecht Bluhme (1794–1866) |
11 July 1864 | 6 November 1865 | 1 year, 118 days | Højre | 1864 | Bluhme II H | ||
9 | ![]() |
Christian Emil Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs (1817–1896) |
6 November 1865 | 28 May 1870 | 4 years, 203 days | National Landowners | — | Frijs NG (until 1866) NG–N (from 1866) | ||
Jun. 1866 | ||||||||||
Oct. 1866 | ||||||||||
1869 | ||||||||||
10 | ![]() |
Ludvig Holstein-Holsteinborg (1815–1892) |
28 May 1870 | 14 July 1874 | 4 years, 47 days | Centre | — | Holstein-Holsteinborg NG–N | ||
1872 | ||||||||||
1873 | ||||||||||
11 | ![]() |
Christen Andreas Fonnesbech (1817–1880) |
14 July 1874 | 11 June 1875 | 332 days | National Landowners | — | Fonnesbech NG–N | ||
12 | ![]() |
Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup (1825–1913) |
11 June 1875 | 7 August 1894 | 19 years, 57 days | National Landowners | — | Estrup NG (until 1881) H (from 1881) | ||
1876 | ||||||||||
1879 | ||||||||||
Højre | May 1881 | |||||||||
Jul. 1881 | ||||||||||
1884 | ||||||||||
1887 | ||||||||||
1890 | ||||||||||
1892 | ||||||||||
13 | ![]() |
Tage Reedtz-Thott (1839–1923) |
7 August 1894 | 23 May 1897 | 2 years, 289 days | Højre | — | Reedtz-Thott H | ||
1895 | ||||||||||
14 | ![]() |
Hugo Egmont Hørring (1842–1909) |
23 May 1897 | 27 April 1900 | 2 years, 339 days | Højre | — | Hørring H | ||
1898 | ||||||||||
15 | ![]() |
Hannibal Sehested (1842–1909) |
27 April 1900 | 24 July 1901 | 1 year, 88 days | Højre | — | Sehested H | ||
16 | ![]() |
Johan Henrik Deuntzer (1845–1918) |
24 July 1901 | 14 January 1905 | 3 years, 174 days | Venstre Reform | 1901 | Deuntzer V | ||
1903 | ||||||||||
17 | ![]() |
Jens Christian Christensen (1856–1930) |
14 January 1905 | 12 October 1908 | 3 years, 192 days | Venstre Reform | — | Christensen I V | ||
Frederik VIII (1906–1912) | ||||||||||
1906 | Christensen II V | |||||||||
18 | ![]() |
Niels Neergaard (1854–1936) |
12 October 1908 | 16 August 1909 | 308 days | Venstre Reform | — | Neergaard I V | ||
19 | ![]() |
Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg (1839–1912) |
16 August 1909 | 28 October 1909 | 73 days | Venstre Reform | 1909 | Holstein-Ledreborg V | ||
20 | ![]() |
Carl Theodor Zahle (1866–1946) |
28 October 1909 | 5 July 1910 | 250 days | Social Liberals | — | Zahle I RV | ||
21 | ![]() |
Klaus Berntsen (1844–1927) |
5 July 1910 | 21 June 1913 | 2 years, 351 days | Venstre | 1910 | Berntsen V | ||
Christian X (1912–1947) | ||||||||||
(20) | ![]() |
Carl Theodor Zahle (1866–1946) |
21 June 1913 | 20 April 1918 | 4 years, 303 days | Social Liberals | 1913 | Zahle II RV |
List of prime ministers (1918–present)
[edit]No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) |
Term of office | Party | Election | Cabinet coalition |
Monarch (reign) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||||
(20) | ![]() |
Carl Theodor Zahle (1866–1946) |
21 April 1918 | 30 March 1920 | 1 year, 344 days | Social Liberals | — | Zahle II RV |
Christian X (1912–1947) | |
1918 | ||||||||||
22 | ![]() |
Otto Liebe (1860–1929) |
30 March 1920 | 5 April 1920 | 6 days | Independent | — | Liebe Caretaker government | ||
23 | ![]() |
Michael Pedersen Friis (1857–1944) |
5 April 1920 | 5 May 1920 | 30 days | Independent | — | Friis Caretaker government | ||
(18) | ![]() |
Niels Neergaard (1854–1936) |
5 May 1920 | 23 April 1924 | 3 years, 354 days | Venstre | Apr. 1920 |
Neergaard II V | ||
Jul. 1920 | ||||||||||
Sep. 1920 | ||||||||||
— | Neergaard III V | |||||||||
24 | ![]() |
Thorvald Stauning (1873–1942) |
23 April 1924 | 14 December 1926 | 2 years, 235 days | Social Democrats | 1924 | Stauning I S | ||
25 | ![]() |
Thomas Madsen-Mygdal (1876–1943) |
14 December 1926 | 30 April 1929 | 2 years, 137 days | Venstre | 1926 | Madsen-Mygdal V | ||
(24) | ![]() |
Thorvald Stauning (1873–1942) [a] |
30 April 1929 | 3 May 1942 † | 13 years, 3 days | Social Democrats | 1929 | Stauning II S–RV | ||
1932 | ||||||||||
1935 | Stauning III S–RV | |||||||||
1939 | Stauning IV S–RV | |||||||||
— | Stauning V S–V–K–RV (national unity) | |||||||||
— | Stauning VI S–V–K–RV (national unity) | |||||||||
26 | ![]() |
Vilhelm Buhl (1881–1954) |
4 May 1942 | 9 November 1942 | 189 days | Social Democrats | — | Buhl I S–V–K–RV (national unity) | ||
27 | ![]() |
Erik Scavenius (1877–1962) |
9 November 1942 | 29 August 1943 | 294 days | Independent | — | Scavenius S–V–K–RV (national unity) | ||
1943 | ||||||||||
No Danish government (29 August 1943 – 5 May 1945).[b] Office is assumed by the permanent secretary. | ||||||||||
(26) | ![]() |
Vilhelm Buhl (1881–1954) |
5 May 1945 | 7 November 1945 | 186 days | Social Democrats | — | Buhl II S–V–K–RV–DS–DKP (national unity) | ||
28 | ![]() |
Knud Kristensen (1880–1962) |
7 November 1945 | 13 November 1947 | 2 years, 6 days | Venstre | 1945 | Kristensen V | ||
Frederik IX (1947–1972) | ||||||||||
29 | ![]() |
Hans Hedtoft (1903–1955) |
13 November 1947 | 30 October 1950 | 2 years, 351 days | Social Democrats | 1947 | Hedtoft I S | ||
30 | ![]() |
Erik Eriksen (1902–1972) |
30 October 1950 | 30 September 1953 | 2 years, 335 days | Venstre | 1950 | Eriksen V–K | ||
Apr. 1953 | ||||||||||
(29) | ![]() |
Hans Hedtoft (1903–1955) [a] |
30 September 1953 | 29 January 1955 † | 1 year, 122 days | Social Democrats | Sep. 1953 |
Hedtoft II S | ||
31 | ![]() |
H. C. Hansen (1906–1960) [a] |
1 February 1955 | 19 February 1960 † | 5 years, 18 days | Social Democrats | — | Hansen I S | ||
1957 | Hansen II S–RV–Rfb | |||||||||
32 | ![]() |
Viggo Kampmann (1910–1976) |
21 February 1960 | 3 September 1962 | 2 years, 194 days | Social Democrats | — | Kampmann I S–RV–Rfb | ||
1960 | Kampmann II S–RV | |||||||||
33 | ![]() |
Jens Otto Krag (1914–1978) |
3 September 1962 | 2 February 1968 | 5 years, 152 days | Social Democrats | — | Krag I S–RV | ||
1964 | Krag II S | |||||||||
34 | Hilmar Baunsgaard (1920–1989) |
2 February 1968 | 11 October 1971 | 3 years, 251 days | Social Liberals | 1968 | Baunsgaard RV–K–V | |||
(33) | ![]() |
Jens Otto Krag (1914–1978) |
11 October 1971 | 5 October 1972 | 360 days | Social Democrats | 1971 | Krag III S | ||
Margrethe II (1972–2024) | ||||||||||
35 | ![]() |
Anker Jørgensen (1922–2016) |
5 October 1972 | 19 December 1973 | 1 year, 75 days | Social Democrats | — | Jørgensen I S | ||
36 | ![]() |
Poul Hartling (1914–2000) |
19 December 1973 | 13 February 1975 | 1 year, 57 days | Venstre | 1973 | Hartling V | ||
(35) | ![]() |
Anker Jørgensen (1922–2016) |
13 February 1975 | 10 September 1982 | 7 years, 209 days | Social Democrats | 1975 | Jørgensen II S | ||
1977 | ||||||||||
— | Jørgensen III S–V | |||||||||
1979 | Jørgensen IV S | |||||||||
1981 | Jørgensen V S | |||||||||
37 | ![]() |
Poul Schlüter (1929–2021) |
10 September 1982 | 25 January 1993 | 10 years, 137 days | Conservative | — | Schlüter I K–V–CD–KrF | ||
1984 | ||||||||||
1987 | Schlüter II K–V–CD–KrF | |||||||||
1988 | Schlüter III K–V–RV | |||||||||
1990 | Schlüter IV K–V | |||||||||
38 | ![]() |
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (born 1943) |
25 January 1993 | 27 November 2001 | 8 years, 306 days | Social Democrats | — | P. N. Rasmussen I S–CD–RV–KrF | ||
1994 | P. N. Rasmussen II S–CD–RV | |||||||||
— | P. N. Rasmussen III S–RV | |||||||||
1998 | P. N. Rasmussen IV S–RV | |||||||||
39 | ![]() |
Anders Fogh Rasmussen (born 1953) |
27 November 2001 | 5 April 2009 | 7 years, 129 days | Venstre | 2001 | A. F. Rasmussen I V–K | ||
2005 | A. F. Rasmussen II V–K | |||||||||
2007 | A. F. Rasmussen III V–K | |||||||||
40 | ![]() |
Lars Løkke Rasmussen (born 1964) |
5 April 2009 | 3 October 2011 | 2 years, 181 days | Venstre | — | L. L. Rasmussen I V–K | ||
41 | ![]() |
Helle Thorning-Schmidt (born 1966) |
3 October 2011 | 28 June 2015 | 3 years, 268 days | Social Democrats | 2011 | Thorning-Schmidt I S–RV–SF | ||
— | Thorning-Schmidt II S–RV | |||||||||
(40) | ![]() |
Lars Løkke Rasmussen (born 1964) |
28 June 2015 | 27 June 2019 | 3 years, 364 days | Venstre | 2015 | L. L. Rasmussen II V | ||
— | L. L. Rasmussen III V–LA–K | |||||||||
42 | ![]() |
Mette Frederiksen (born 1977) |
27 June 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 60 days | Social Democrats | 2019 | Frederiksen I S | ||
2022 | Frederiksen II S–V–M | |||||||||
Frederik X (since 2024) |
Timeline (1848–present)
[edit]This is a graphical lifespan timeline of prime ministers of Denmark. The prime ministers are listed in order of office, with prime ministers serving multiple premierships listed in order of their first.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/i3kfeb938sblgu02vu30ihtqsggytpx.png)
Graphical timeline
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/6jnw7n3x49f1t1apwhfj2pf8rkifgxu.png)
See also
[edit]- Politics of Denmark
- List of Danish monarchs
- List of prime ministers of Finland
- List of heads of government of Norway
- List of prime ministers of Sweden
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d Died in office.
- ^ On 29 August 1943, the Danish government resigned, refusing to grant further concessions to Nazi Germany. All government operations were assumed by the permanent secretaries of the individual departments, and this arrangement lasted until the Liberation of Denmark on 5 May 1945. Since King Christian X never accepted the resignation of the government, it existed de jure until a new cabinet was formed on 5 May 1945.
References
[edit]- ^ "Statsministre siden 1848". stm.dk (in Danish). Ministry of the State. Retrieved 7 November 2022.