Bertel Haarder

Bertel Geismar Haarder (born 7 September 1944 in Rønshoved, near Åbenrå) is a Danish politician who was the Danish Minister for Culture and Church until 2016. He is the longest serving Danish minister since a system change in 1901, and represents Venstre in the Folketing as of June 2020.

From November 2001 to February 2005 he was Minister for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I, and enacted a policy of tough measures designed to limit the number of immigrants coming to Denmark. From February 2005 until February 2010 Haarder was once more the Education Minister in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II. From February 2010 to October 2011 he was Interior and Health Minister in the Lars Løkke Rasmussen I Cabinet

Furthermore, from February 2005 to November 2007 he was minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs and from November 2007 until February 2010 the Minister of Nordic Cooperation in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III. In February 2010 the veteran minister took over as Interior and Health Minister until October 2011.

From 10 September 1982 to 25 January 1993 he was Education Minister in various cabinets of Poul Schlüter. From 10 September 1987 to 25 January 1993 he was also the Minister for Science, Technology and Progress.

Haarder was first elected to the Folketing (Parliament) in 1975. Until 1977 he was a member of the Folketing representing North Jutland County constituency, and from 1977 to 1999 he was a member of the Folketing from Copenhagen County constituency. From 2005 to 2007, he was a member from Vestsjælland County constituency, and since 2007 he has been a member from Greater Copenhagen greater constituency. He was also a Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 2001, and he served as Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament from 1997 to 1999.

References

• Biography on the website of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget)
• Bertel Haarder Den Store Danske, Gyldendals åbne encyclopædi