Denmark’s defense minister, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, will swap his ministerial portfolio with the economy brief after finding the job too onerous and time-consuming when combined with leading his party.
(Bloomberg) — Denmark’s defense minister, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, will swap his ministerial portfolio with the economy brief after finding the job too onerous and time-consuming when combined with leading his party.
Troels Lund Poulsen, the current economy minister, will take the job overseeing defenses in the minor cabinet reshuffle, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. The changes are set to happen later on Tuesday.
Ellemann-Jensen, who’s the leader of the Liberal Party in Denmark’s majority coalition government, will keep the title of deputy prime minister. He returned three weeks ago from a six-month stress leave, during which Poulsen had managed the defense portfolio.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Ellemann-Jensen said he decided to step back as defense minister because the role requires “full focus and a completely dedicated effort” due to Denmark’s ambitions for supporting Ukraine and the need for a “significant clean-up” in the ministry’s organization. He said he was unable to do this while simultaneously executing his party’s strategy and keeping up with tasks as deputy prime minister.
Denmark has since late last year had its first grand coalition since the 1970s, as the center-right Liberal party has teamed up with its traditional opponent, the Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
(Updates with comment from Ellemann-Jensen in fourth paragraph)
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