# Thorning-Schmidt I Cabinet

The cabinet of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt was the cabinet government of Denmark from 3 October 2011 to 3 February 2014. It was a coalition between the Social Democrats, the Danish Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People's Party. On 9 August 2013, Helle Thorning-Schmidt made a cabinet reshuffle and on 12 December 2013, she made a second cabinet reshuffle. The cabinet resigned on 3 February 2014, following the Socialist People's Party left the government on 30 January 2014. It was succeeded by the Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt II
Because of the government's minority status and its dependency on the support of the opposition, Venstre, the government had to jettison many of the policies that it had given during the election campaign. Although critics have accused the government of breaking its promises, other studies argue that it has already accomplished half of its stated goals, blaming instead poor public relations strategies for its increasingly negative public image.

## Government formations

At the parliamentary election on 15 September 2011, the governing Liberal Party remained the single largest party with the addition of one seat while the Social Democrats lost a seat. However, a three-party coalition of opposition parties together with the supporting Red-Green Alliance won a larger share of seats than the incumbent Liberal-Conservative government and their supporting parties the Liberal Alliance and Danish People's Party. Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen then tendered the cabinet's resignation to Queen Margrethe II on 16 September, following which she met with the leaders of all parties. She then tasked Social Democrat Helle Thorning-Schmidt with negotiating the formation of a new government. Rasmussen's cabinet remained in office as a caretaker government until 3 October, when Thorning-Schmidt's cabinet was sworn in making her the first female Prime Minister. The Social Liberal Party and the Socialist People's Party also became part of the three-party government. It was the first time the Socialist People's Party joined a government since its foundation in 1959.
On 30 January 2014 Annette Vilhelmsen, the leader of Socialist People's Party announced that the party would be leaving government, the result of extended turmoil over the proposed sale of DONG Energy shares to Goldman Sachs.

## List of ministers and portfolios

The Social Democrats had ten ministers including the Prime Minister. The smaller Social Liberal Party and Socialist People's Party each had six ministers.
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party |
| Prime Minister's Office ||||||
| Prime Minister | Helle Thorning-Schmidt | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economy and Interior | Margrethe Vestager | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Liberals |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs ||||||
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Villy Søvndal | 3 October 2011 | 12 December 2013 | SF |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Holger K. Nielsen | 12 December 2013 | 30 January 2014 | SF |
| Minister for Development Cooperation | Christian Friis Bach | 3 October 2011 | 21 November 2013 | Social Liberals |
| Minister for Development Cooperation | Rasmus Helveg Petersen | 21 November 2013 | 3 February 2014 | Social Liberals |
| Minister for European Affairs | Nicolai Wammen | 3 October 2011 | 9 August 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for European Affairs | Nick Hækkerup | 9 August 2013 | 3 February 2014 (abolished) | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Trade and Investment | Pia Olsen Dyhr | 3 October 2011 | 9 August 2013 (abolished) | SF |
| Ministry of Finance ||||||
| Minister for Finance | Bjarne Corydon | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Justice ||||||
| Minister for Justice | Morten Bødskov | 3 October 2011 | 12 December 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Justice | Karen Hækkerup | 12 December 2013 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Defence ||||||
| Minister for Defence | Nick Hækkerup | 3 October 2011 | 9 August 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Defence | Nicolai Wammen | 9 August 2013 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Culture ||||||
| Minister for Culture | Uffe Elbæk | 3 October 2011 | 5 December 2012 | Social Liberals |
| Minister for Culture | Marianne Jelved | 6 December 2012 | 3 February 2014 | Social Liberals |
| Ministry of Taxation ||||||
| Minister for Taxation | Thor Möger Pedersen | 3 October 2011 | 16 October 2012 | SF |
| Minister for Taxation | Holger K. Nielsen | 16 October 2012 | 12 December 2013 | SF |
| Minister for Taxation | Jonas Dahl | 12 December 2013 | 30 January 2014 | SF |
| Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education ||||||
| Minister for Research, Innovation and Higher Education | Morten Østergaard | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Liberals |
| Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs ||||||
| Minister for Business and Growth | Ole Sohn | 3 October 2011 | 16 October 2012 | SF |
| Minister for Business and Growth | Annette Vilhelmsen | 16 October 2012 | 9 August 2013 | SF |
| Minister for Business and Growth | Henrik Sass Larsen | 9 August 2013 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Affairs ||||||
| Minister for the City, Housing and Rural Affairs | Carsten Hansen | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Employment ||||||
| Minister for Employment | Mette Frederiksen | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Education ||||||
| Minister for Education | Christine Antorini | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Social Affairs ||||||
| Minister for Integration and Social Affairs | Karen Hækkerup | 3 October 2011 | 9 August 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Integration and Social Affairs | Annette Vilhelmsen | 9 August 2013 | 30 January 2014 | SF |
| Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries ||||||
| Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries | Mette Gjerskov | 3 October 2011 | 9 August 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries | Karen Hækkerup | 9 August 2013 | 12 December 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries | Dan Jørgensen | 12 December 2013 | 3 February 2014 | Social Democrats |
| Ministry of Climate and Energy ||||||
| Minister for Climate and Energy | Martin Lidegaard | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Liberals |
| Ministry of Transport ||||||
| Minister for Transport | Henrik Dam Kristensen | 3 October 2011 | 9 August 2013 | Social Democrats |
| Minister for Transport | Pia Olsen Dyhr | 9 August 2013 | 30 January 2014 | SF |
| Ministry of Health ||||||
| Minister for Health and Prevention | Astrid Krag | 3 October 2011 | 30 January 2014 | SF |
| Ministry of the Environment ||||||
| Minister for the Environment | Ida Auken | 3 October 2011 | 30 January 2014 | SF |
| Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs ||||||
| Minister for Equality, Church and Nordic Cooperation | Manu Sareen | 3 October 2011 | 3 February 2014 | Social Liberals |
| Preceded byLars Løkke Rasmussen | Cabinet of Denmark 2011-2014 | Succeeded byHelle Thorning-Schmidt II |