Karen Jespersen

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Karen Moustgaard Jespersen (born 17 January 1947 in Copenhagen) is a Danish politician, a member of Venstre. Previously she was Social Minister from 25 January 1993 to 28 January 1994 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I, and 27 September 1994 to 23 February 2000 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen II, III and IV. She was Interior Minister 23 February 2000 to 27 November 2001 in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV. She has been a member of the Folketing since 12 December 1990. On 12 September 2007 she replaced Eva Kjer Hansen as Social Minister and Minister for Equal Rights in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II, thus becoming the first Danish politician to have represented both political wings as a government minister.^[1] On 23 November 2007, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Family and Consumer Affairs and the Social Ministry were merged into a Ministry of Welfare, and Jespersen became Minister of Welfare in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen III.

In the book Islamister og Naivister: et anklageskrift (Islamists and Naivists: a bill of indictment), which she wrote together with her husband, political commentator Ralf Pittelkow, she warns of an underestimation of the Islamist threat. The book is a bestseller in Denmark.

On January 14, 2007, she declared that she is no longer member of the Social Democrats.

In a press release February 1, 2007, the Liberal Party Venstre announced that Karen Jespersen has joined the party and will be a candidate for parliament (Folketinget) in the next election.

Many media analysts have speculated that the announcement had been held back for weeks and eventually used as a diversion from the criticism the Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen has experienced because of his alleged knowledge of Danish soldiers' handing down of Afghani prisoners to torture in American prison camps.^{[citation needed]}

Jespersen is a very popular, if somewhat controversial, politician whose appointment as government minister is expected to boost the ratings of the Fogh Rasmussen government. Her scathing criticism of the social democratic party, which she left because of profound disagreement, especially on immigration policy, is expected to damage that party and deflect opposition claims that the government is aiming for the demise of the welfare state. On the other hand, a number of voters find it difficult to believe that her views have genuinely changed and see possible opportunistic considerations behind her change of political stance.

[edit] References

• Karen Jespersen - Biography from Folketinget.

Political offices
Preceded by Else Winther Andersen	Social Minister of Denmark 25 January 1993 – 28 January 1994	Succeeded by Bente Juncker
Preceded by Yvonne Herløv Andersen	Social Minister of Denmark 27 September 1994 – 23 February 2000	Succeeded by Henrik Dam Kristensen
Preceded by Thorkild Simonsen	Interior Minister of Denmark 23 February 2000 – 27 November 2001	Succeeded by Lars Løkke Rasmussen
Preceded by Eva Kjer Hansen	Social Minister of Denmark 12 September 2007 – 23 November 2007	Succeeded by Office abolished
Preceded by Eva Kjer Hansen	Minister for Equal Rights of Denmark 12 September 2007 – present	Incumbent
Preceded by New office	Minister for Welfare of Denmark 23 November 2007 – present	Incumbent