Ulla Tørnæs
Ulla Tørnæs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Science, Technology, Information and Higher Education of Denmark | |
| In office 29 February 2016 – 28 November 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Esben Lunde Larsen |
| Succeeded by | Søren Pind |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ulla Tørnæs 4 September 1962 Esbjerg, Denmark |
| Political party |  Danish:Venstre  EU:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
| Alma mater | |
Ulla Pedersen Tørnæs (born 4 September 1962) is a Danish politician who currently serves as Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark. She is a member of the Liberal Party and, from 1994 to 2014, was a member of the Danish parliament (Folketing). She served as Minister for Science, Technology, Information and Higher Education in the Lars Løkke Rasmussen II Cabinet of Denmark from February 2016 to November 2016.
Political career
Role in Danish politics
Tørnæs served as Minister for Education in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen I (2001–2005) and as Minister for Development Cooperation in the Cabinet of Anders Fogh Rasmussen II from 18 February 2005. From 2007, she was a member of the World Bank Group’s High Level Advisory Council on Women's Economic Empowerment, which was chaired by Danny Leipziger and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul.[1] She was also a member of the Prime Minister’s Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa which held meetings between April and October 2008.[2]
From 2010 until 2016, Tørnæs was a member of the management committee of the Danish Liberal Democracy Programme (DLDP).
Member of the European Parliament, 2014–2016
Tørnæs became a Member of the European Parliament following the 2014 European elections. A member of the ALDE (Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) political faction, she served as Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. In 2015, she was the lead negotiator for the ALDE group on the eCall system.[3]
In addition to her committee assignments, Tørnæs was a member of the parliament’s delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Return to Danish politics
Tørnæs left the European Parliament on 29 February 2016, becoming Minister for Science, Technology, Information and Higher Education in the Lars Løkke Rasmussen II Cabinet, where she proposed the education ceiling. Her successor is Morten Løkkegaard.
Since 28 November 2016, Tørnæs has again been serving as Minister for Development Cooperation.
Other activities
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Bank Group, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors[4]
- World Bank, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors[5]
- Danish Liberal Democracy Programme, Member of the Board
- Plan International Denmark, Member of the Board (2010-2013)[6]
Controversy
Tørnæs was in the news on 25 February 2005 when it became known that her husband, Jørgen Tørnæs, had illegally employed a Latvian supervisor on one of his pig farms without the required residence and work permits. She was not forced to resign as minister because there was no proof she knew the supervisor was illegally employed.
Personal life
Tørnæs is the daughter of former minister Laurits Tørnæs and Katty Tørnæs.
References
- ^ The World Bank Group Advisory Council on Women’s Economic Empowerment World Bank Group, Gender Equality as Smart Economics newsletter, March 2008.
- ^ Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa Folketing.
- ^ Zoya Sheftalovich (April 29, 2015), eCall emergency system a-calling despite internal objections Politico Europe.
- ^ Board of Governors Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Bank Group.
- ^ Board of Governors World Bank.
- ^ Ulla Tørnæs Folketing.
- CV – from the website of the Danish Folketing
- Template:Da icon News story about the illegally employed supervisor – from TV 2 (Denmark)