Anker Jørgensen

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Anker Jørgensen
Anker Jørgensen
In office
October 5, 1972 – December 19, 1973
Preceded by Jens Otto Krag
Succeeded by Poul Hartling
In office
February 13, 1975 – September 10, 1982
Preceded by Poul Hartling
Succeeded by Poul Schlüter
Born July 13, 1922 (1922-07-13) (age 86)
Copenhagen
Political party Social Democrats
Religion Lutheran/Church of Denmark

Anker Jørgensen (born July 13, 1922) is a former Danish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He led or represented the Social Democratic Party for well over 30 years.

Contents

[edit] Early Political and Personal Life

Anker Henrik Jørgensen was born on July 13, 1922 in a poor area of Copenhagen to Johannes Albert Jørgensen and Maria Jørgensen. He was bought up by close members of his family. In 1948 he married Ingrid Kvist Pedersen (17 August 1922 – 18 October 1997) whom he remained married to until her death in 1997. They had 4 children. Throughout this period, he lived in the working-class area of Sydhavnen, an inner city district of Copenhagen.

He began his political carer early, and in 1950 he became a member of a trade union. He led the Danish Workers Union, SiD, between 1968 and 1972. Whilst he was chairman of the Danish Workers Union, he was elected to the Folketing for the first of many times in 1964.

[edit] Prime Minister

In 1972, he succeeded Jens Otto Krag as Prime Minister of Denmark following the European Union Referendum of that year. He would hold this position for 14 months until the election when he would be succeeded by liberal Poul Hartling.

Ingrid and Anker Jørgensen, 1990

After just over a year in opposition, he would return as Prime Minister of Denmark at the head of a coalition between the Social Democrats and the Liberals. This coalition would last until October 23, 1979, and for a brief period of two months in 1978 he concurrently held the position of foreign minister. During this time, Anker Jørgensen would preside over the electoral age referendum.

For the rest of his period in office, he would lead a solitary Social Democrat government. He stepped down as prime minister on September 10, 1982 due to an uncertain parliamentary situation, he did, however, remain as leader of the Social Democrats until his resignation in 1987 when he was succeeded by Svend Auken. Throughout his time in office, he showed strong leadership and guided Denmark into the EEC and further developed Denmark’s social and welfare systems, but his policies also created a huge state budget deficit, which was compensated for by large state loans, increasing the Danish state debt substantially.

He was the head of the Danish delegation to the Nordic Council. Jørgensen was elected "Dane Of The Year" in 1990. He has written several autobiographies.

[edit] Public Perception

  • Whilst in government, Anker Jørgensen became famous for being the People’s Gentleman.
  • He gained a reputation as being a hard, dedicated worker.

[edit] Awards

[edit] Books

Political offices
Preceded by
Jens Otto Krag		 Prime Minister of Denmark
October 5, 1972 – December 19, 1973		 Succeeded by
Poul Hartling
Preceded by
Poul Hartling		 Prime Minister of Denmark
February 13, 1975 – September 10, 1982		 Succeeded by
Poul Schlüter
Preceded by
Knud Børge Andersen		 Foreign Minister of Denmark
1 July 1978 – 30 August 1978		 Succeeded by
Henning Christophersen
Party political offices
Preceded by
Jens Otto Krag		 Leader of the Danish Social Democrats
1972 – 1987		 Succeeded by
Svend Auken
v • d • e
Prime Ministers of Denmark
Flag of Denmark


Persondata
NAME Jørgensen, Anker
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Prime Minister of Denmark
DATE OF BIRTH July 13, 1922
PLACE OF BIRTH Copenhagen
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anker_J%C3%B8rgensen"
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