Poul Nyrup Rasmussen
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen ⁽ ⁾ p ʰ ʌʊ̯l ny ( ː ) ɔb̥ ʁɑsmusn̩ ( born June 15, 1943 in Esbjerg ) is a Danish politician. He was from 1992 to 2002 chairman of the Danish Social Democrats and Prime Minister from 1993 to 2001. 2004 to 2009 he sat in the European Parliament. From 2004 to 2011 he was also Chairman of the Party of European Socialists.
Life
From a working class family coming Nyrup Rasmussen studied economics at the University of Copenhagen, where he graduated in 1971. During his studies he joined the Social Democratic Students Association at Frit Forum. Nyrup Rasmussen is married since 1994 with the prominent politician Dybkjær, which was for the social liberal party Venstre radical deputies in the Danish Folketing ( 1973-77, 1979-94 and 2005-11 ) and in the European Parliament ( 1994-2004 ).
Prime Minister 1993 - 2001
Rasmussen broke the 1993 Conservative Poul Schlüter from as head of government. He formed a center-left coalition of Socialdemokraterne, socially liberal Radical Venstre, Center - Demokraterne and Christian Democratic Kristeligt Folkeparti. To revive the economy his first cabinet in 1993-94 fell back under the social- liberal economy minister Marianne Jelved and the Social Democratic finance minister Mogens Lykketoft some Keynesian measures and then carried out numerous privatizations.
After loss of votes in parliamentary elections in 1994, the Christian Democrats left the government in 1996 also eliminated the Centre Party from the coalition. The remaining small coalition was narrowly confirmed in the 1998 election. After his re-election Rasmussen announced that his first objective would be to ensure a Yes in the ratification of the EU Treaty of Amsterdam. In fact, in the subsequent referendum, a majority of 55 % of the vote for the contract. In the two years later, following the Danish referendum on the introduction of the euro, however, Rasmussen had to accept defeat; the common currency was rejected by 53.2 % of voters.
Given the high poll numbers for the government parties Rasmussen announced in the fall of 2001 to early elections, arguing that the new prime minister time to prepare for the Danish EU Presidency in 2002 would remain so. During the election campaign, in which the migration policy was at the center, fell poll numbers for the Social Democrats, while Venstre and right-wing populist Danish People's Party gained approval.
Finally, the Social Democrats a severe defeat, with the worst election result suffered in the parliamentary elections in 2001 since 1973. For the first time since 1924 they no longer presented the largest party in the Folketing. Became new prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen ( Venstre ). Although Poul Nyrup Rasmussen on election night initially announced, will remain chairman of the party and want to initiate the renewal of the Danish Social Democrats, he resigned in late 2002 after its leadership had been asked in the Party in question.
European Parliament 2004 - 2009
In the 2004 European elections, Rasmussen was able to move in the European Parliament, where he joined the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES ). He was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.
A major theme of the activities Rasmussen in the European Parliament was the lack of regulation of hedge funds, which he criticized even before the outbreak of the financial crisis of 2007. In September 2008, he brought in report, which suggested binding rules for all market participants, was adopted by the European Parliament. In the following months, Rasmussen criticized the European Commission, in particular the Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso and the Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy for their inadequate response to this report. In March 2009, Rasmussen called for a new, extended stimulus package for the EU and warned that it in 2010 Europe 25 million unemployed could be otherwise. In particular, the Central and Eastern European countries should receive support from the EU.
Party of European Socialists
In the election of the chairman of the Party of European Socialists (PES ) is Nyrup Rasmussen mid-2004 succeeded against Giuliano Amato and followed Robin Cook to hold the post after. The item includes the coordination of the political program of the European Socialists and the representation of the party. Rasmussen tried going to expand the opportunities for participation for the party base, such as a Europe-wide consultation process in the preparation of the party program for the European elections in 2009.
Nyrup Rasmussen gave up his post in November 2011.