List of Prime Ministers of Denmark

The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government of Denmark and leader of the Cabinet; since 1918 they have held the title of "Minister of State" (Danish: statsminister). The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the Monarch, who is head of state.

The highest ranking non-monarchial offices prior to 1848 are regarded as predecessors of the modern office of Prime Minister. There have been several titles used; "King's Chancellor", "Chancellor of the Realm", "Grand Chancellor", "Privy Councillor", "Prime Minister", "Council President" and Minister of State, once again. Each Prime Minister since 1848 has been the leader of one or more cabinets (for a complete list see Cabinet of Denmark).

Denmark's current Prime Minister is Helle Thorning-Schmidt representing the social democratic party Socialdemokraterne. Helle Thorning-Schmidt took office on 3 October 2011, taking over the position from Lars Løkke Rasmussen, representing the liberal party Venstre.

Deaths in office are signified by †

List of Grand Chancellors (1699–1730)

Took office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
26 August 1699 21 July 1708 † Conrad von Reventlow
(1644–1708)
1708 1721 Christian Christophersen Sehested
(1666–1740)
20 June 1721 17 October 1730 Ulrik Adolf Holstein
(1664–1737)

List of Privy Councillors (1730–1848)

This list is incomplete and not necessarily representative; you can help by making it more complete and more unbiased.

Privy Councillors (1730–1848)

under Christian VI (1730–1746), Frederik V (1746–1766),
Christian VII (1766–1808), Frederik VI (1808–1839), Christian VIII (1839–1848)

Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
17 October 1730 12 May 1735 Iver Rosenkrantz
(1674–1745)
12 May 1735 1751[1] Johan Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg
(1694–1763)
1751 13 September 1770 Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff
(1712–1772)
January 1772 1784 Ove Høegh-Guldberg
(1731–1808)
1784 21 June 1797 † Andreas Peter Bernstorff
(1735–1797)
22 June 1797 1810 Christian Günther von Bernstorff
(1769–1835)
1810 1814 Frederik Moltke
(1754–1836)
1814 1814 Fredrik Julius Kaas
(1758–1827)
1814 24 August 1818 Joachim Godske Moltke
(1746–1818)
1818 1824 Ernst Heinrich von Schimmelmann
(1747–1831)
1824 1842 Otto Joachim Moltke
(1770–1853)
1842 22 March 1848 Poul Christian Stemann
(1764–1855)

List of Prime Ministers (1848–1855)

Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
1 22 March 1848 16 November 1848 Adam Wilhelm Moltke
(1785–1864)		 — — Moltke I
16 November 1848 13 July 1851 1849 Moltke II
13 July 1851 18 October 1851 — Moltke III
18 October 1851 27 January 1852 — Moltke IV
2 27 January 1852 21 April 1853 Christian Albrecht Bluhme
(1794–1866)		 Højre 1852
Feb.1853		 Bluhme I
3 21 April 1853 12 December 1854 Anders Sandøe Ørsted
(1778–1860)		 — May1853 Ørsted
4 12 December 1854 12 October 1855 Peter Georg Bang
(1797–1861)		 — 1854 Bang

List of Council Presidents (1855–1918)

Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
4 12 October 1855 18 October 1856 Peter Georg Bang
(1797–1861)		 — — Bang
5 18 October 1856 13 May 1857 Carl Christoffer Georg Andræ
(1812–1893)		 — — Andræ
6 13 May 1857 2 December 1859 Carl Christian Hall
(1812–1888)		 National Liberal — Hall I
NL
7 2 December 1859 8 February 1860 †[2] Carl Edvard Rotwitt
(1812–1860)		 The Society of the Friends of Peasants — Rotwitt
(6) 24 February 1860 31 December 1863 Carl Christian Hall
(1812–1888)		 National Liberal 1861 Hall II
NL
Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
8 31 December 1863 11 July 1864 Ditlev Gothard Monrad
(1811–1887)		 National Liberal — Monrad
NL
(2) 11 July 1864 6 November 1865 Christian Albrecht Bluhme
(1794–1866)		 Højre 1864 Bluhme II
H
9 6 November 1865 28 May 1870 Christian Emil Frijs
(1817–1896)		 National Landowners Jun.1866
Oct.1866
1869		 Frijs
NG
NG-NL from 1866
10 28 May 1870 14 July 1874 Ludvig Holstein-Holsteinborg
(1815–1892)		 Centre 1872
1873		 Holstein-Holsteinborg
NG-NL
11 14 July 1874 11 June 1875 Christen Andreas Fonnesbech
(1817–1880)		 National Landowners — Fonnesbech
NG-NL
12 11 June 1875 7 August 1894 Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup
(1825–1913)		 National Landowners;
Højre		 1876
1879
May1881
Jul.1881
1884
1887
1890
1892		 Estrup
NG
H
13 7 August 1894 23 May 1897 Tage Reedtz-Thott
(1839–1923)		 Højre 1895 Reedz-Thott
H
14 23 May 1897 27 April 1900 Hugo Egmont Hørring
(1842–1909)		 Højre 1898 Hørring
H
15 27 April 1900 24 July 1901 Hannibal Sehested
(1842–1924)		 Højre — Sehested
H
16 24 July 1901 14 January 1905 Johan Henrik Deuntzer
(1845–1918)		 Venstre Reform Party 1901
1903		 Deuntzer
V
17 14 January 1905 24 July 1908 Jens Christian Christensen
(1856–1930)		 Venstre Reform Party 1906 Christensen I
V
24 July 1908 12 October 1908 — Christensen II
V
Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
18 12 October 1908 16 August 1909 Niels Neergaard
(1854–1936)		 Venstre Reform Party — Neergaard I
V
19 16 August 1909 28 October 1909 Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg
(1839–1912)		 Venstre Reform Party 1909 Holstein-Ledreborg
V
20 28 October 1909 5 July 1910 Carl Theodor Zahle
(1866–1946)		 Danish Social Liberal Party — Zahle I
R
21 5 July 1910 21 June 1913 Klaus Berntsen
(1844–1927)		 Venstre 1910 Berntsen
V
Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
(20) 21 June 1913 20 April 1918 Carl Theodor Zahle
(1866–1946)		 Danish Social Liberal Party 1913
1915		 Zahle II
R

List of Ministers of State (1918 – present)

Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
Coalition
(20) 21 April 1918 30 March 1920 Carl Theodor Zahle
(1866–1946)		 Danish Social Liberal Party 1918 Zahle II
R
22 30 March 1920 5 April 1920 Otto Liebe
(1860–1929)		 — — Liebe
Caretaker Government
23 5 April 1920 5 May 1920 Michael Pedersen Friis
(1857–1944)		 — Friis
Caretaker Government
(18) 5 May 1920 9 October 1922 Niels Neergaard
(1854–1936)		 Venstre Apr.1920
Jul.1920
Sep.1920		 Neergaard II
V
9 October 1922 23 April 1924 — Neergaard III
V
24 23 April 1924 14 December 1926 Thorvald Stauning
(1873–1942)		 Social Democrat 1924 Stauning I
S
25 14 December 1926 30 April 1929 Thomas Madsen-Mygdal
(1876–1943)		 Venstre 1926 Madsen-Mygdal
V
(24) 30 April 1929 4 November 1935 Thorvald Stauning
(1873–1942)		 Social Democrat 1929
1932		 Stauning II
S-R
4 November 1935 15 September 1939 1935 Stauning III
S-R
15 September 1939 10 April 1940 1939 Stauning IV
S-R
10 April 1940 8 July 1940 — Stauning V
Unity Government
8 July 1940 3 May 1942 †[3] Stauning VI
Unity Government
26 4 May 1942 9 November 1942 Vilhelm Buhl
(1881–1954)		 Social Democrat — Buhl I
Unity Government
27 9 November 1942 29 August 1943[4] Erik Scavenius
(1877–1962)		 — 1943 Scavenius
Unity Government
29 August 1943[4] 5 May 1945 No Danish government. Office is assumed by the permanent secretary.
(26) 5 May 1945 7 November 1945 Vilhelm Buhl
(1881–1954)		 Social Democrat — Buhl II
Unity Government
28 7 November 1945 13 November 1947 Knud Kristensen
(1880–1962)		 Venstre 1945 Kristensen
V
Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
Coalition
29 13 November 1947 30 October 1950 Hans Hedtoft
(1903–1955)		 Social Democrat 1947 Hedtoft I
S
30 30 October 1950 30 September 1953 Erik Eriksen
(1902–1972)		 Venstre 1950
Apr.1953		 Eriksen
V-K
(29) 30 September 1953 29 January 1955 †[5] Hans Hedtoft
(1903–1955)		 Social Democrat Sep.1953 Hedtoft II
S
31 1 February 1955 28 May 1957 Hans Christian Hansen
(1906–1960)		 Social Democrat — Hansen I
S
28 May 1957 19 February 1960 †[6] 1957 Hansen II
S-R-E
32 21 February 1960 18 November 1960 Viggo Kampmann
(1910–1976)		 Social Democrat — Kampmann I
S-R-E
18 November 1960 3 September 1962 1960 Kampmann II
S-R
33 3 September 1962 29 September 1964 Jens Otto Krag
(1914–1978)		 Social Democrat — Krag I
S-R
29 September 1964 2 February 1968 1964 Krag II
S
34 2 February 1968 11 October 1971 Hilmar Baunsgaard
(1920–1989)		 Danish Social Liberal Party 1968 Baunsgard
R-K-V
(33) 11 October 1971 5 October 1972 Jens Otto Krag
(1914–1978)		 Social Democrat 1971 Krag III
S
Nº Took Office Left Office Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Party Election Government
Coalition
35 5 October 1972 19 December 1973 Anker Jørgensen
(1922– )		 Social Democrat — Jørgensen I
S
36 17 December 1973 13 February 1975 Poul Hartling
(1914–2000)		 Venstre 1973 Hartling
V
(35) 13 February 1975 30 August 1978 Anker Jørgensen
(1922– )		 Social Democrat 1975 Jørgensen II
S-V
30 August 1978 26 October 1979 1977 Jørgensen III
S-V
26 October 1979 30 December 1981 1979 Jørgensen IV
S
30 December 1981 10 September 1982 1981 Jørgensen V
S
37 10 September 1982 10 September 1987 Poul Schlüter
(1929– )		 Conservative 1984 Schlüter I
K-V-CD-Kd
10 September 1987 3 June 1988 1987 Schlüter II
K-V-CD-Kd
3 June 1988 18 December 1990 1988 Schlüter III
K-V-R
18 December 1990 25 January 1993 1990 Schlüter IV
K-V
38 25 January 1993 27 September 1994 Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
(1943– )		 Social Democrat — P.N. Rasmussen I
S-CD-R-Kd
27 September 1994 30 December 1996 1994 P.N. Rasmussen II
S-R-CD
30 December 1996 23 March 1998 — P.N. Rasmussen III
S-R
23 March 1998 27 November 2001 1998 P.N. Rasmussen IV
S-R
39 27 November 2001 18 February 2005 Anders Fogh Rasmussen
(1953– )		 Venstre 2001 A.F. Rasmussen I
V-K
18 February 2005 23 November 2007 2005 A.F. Rasmussen II
V-K
23 November 2007 5 April 2009 2007 A.F. Rasmussen III
V-K
40 5 April 2009 3 October 2011 Lars Løkke Rasmussen
(1964– )		 Venstre — L.L. Rasmussen
V-K
41 3 October 2011 3 February 2014 Helle Thorning-Schmidt
(1966– )		 Social Democrat 2011 Thorning-Schmidt I
S-R-SF
3 February 2014 Incumbent — Thorning-Schmidt II
S-R

Timeline (since 1848)

Helle Thorning-Schmidt Lars Løkke Rasmussen Anders Fogh Rasmussen Poul Nyrup Rasmussen Poul Schlüter Anker Jørgensen Poul Hartling Anker Jørgensen Jens Otto Krag Hilmar Baunsgaard Jens Otto Krag Viggo Kampmann Hans Hedtoft Erik Eriksen Hans Hedtoft Knud Kristensen Vilhelm Buhl Erik Scavenius Vilhelm Buhl Thorvald Stauning Thomas Madsen-Mygdal Thorvald Stauning Niels Neergaard Michael Pedersen Friis Otto Liebe Carl Theodor Zahle Klaus Berntsen Carl Theodor Zahle Ludvig Holstein-Ledreborg Niels Neergaard Jens Christian Christensen Johan Henrik Deuntzer Hannibal Sehested (council president) Hugo Egmont Hørring Tage Reedtz-Thott Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup Christen Andreas Fonnesbech Ludvig Holstein-Holsteinborg Christian Albrecht Bluhme Ditlev Gothard Monrad Carl Christian Hall Carl Edvard Rotwitt Carl Christian Hall Carl Christoffer Georg Andræ Peter Georg Bang Anders Sandøe Ørsted Christian Albrecht Bluhme Adam Wilhelm Moltke

Notes

  1. ↑ Different authorities provide contradictory accounts as to whether the period of Ludvig's occupation of the office in fact overlapped with that of his successor.
  2. ↑ Carl Edvard Rotwitt died in office. Carl Frederik Blixen-Finecke was Acting Prime Minister 8 February 1860 – 24 February 1860.
  3. ↑ Thorvald Stauning died in office. His successor was appointed the following day.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 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.
  5. ↑ Hans Hedtoft died in office. His successor was appointed three days later.
  6. ↑ Hans Christian Hansen died in office. His successor was appointed two days later.

See also

References