Hanne Garderbrø

**Hanne Marie Garderbrø** (born 10 February 1970) is a Sudish politician who has served as prime minister of Sudmark and leader of the Social Democratic Party since 2016. She is the third woman to serve as prime minister, and the second to lead the Social Democrats. Garderbrø previously served as Minister of the Interior from 2014 to 2016, and has been a member of the Thusting since 2002.

Garderbrø was born to a working-class family in the industrial city of Kolbæk. After graduating from upper secondary school in 1989, Garderbrø moved to Hersingborg to attend Hersingborg University, graduating with a degree in political science in 1992. Afterwards, she returned to Sudmark and enrolled in the University of Randhaven, receiving a master's degree in Eurean studies in 1994. After finishing her education, Garderbrø worked several jobs in the political sphere until beginning her own political career. From 1994 to 1996, Garderbrø was a policy coordinator at the nongovernmental organization Morningstar, later becoming a deputy policy advisor at the Ministry of Justice until 1999, and serving as chief speechwriter for Magdalene Herren until 2002.

In 2002, Garderbrø began her career in elected politics after being included on the electoral list for the Social Democrats in the 2002 election, ultimately winning a seat in the Thusting. After the Social Democrats lost their majority in the 2006 election, Garderbrø entered the opposition with the rest of her party. Following the 2014 election, the party entered the majority again, and Garderbrø was nominated by Christian Thorsen Johansen to serve as Minister of the Interior. Garderbrø served in this position for over two years. After Johansen resigned from office due to trade union protests throughout the country, Garderbrø was selected as his successor in a party conference, taking office as prime minister and Social Democratic party leader on 14 November 2016. Garderbrø went on to successfully lead the party into the 2018 election, seeing a gain in seats for the party.

## Early life and education

Garderbrø was born on 10 February 1970 in Kolbæk to parents Peter Garderbrø (born 1944) and Anne Rasmussen (born 1945). Her father was a dockworker, while her mother was a geriatric care nurse, both of whom belonged to trade unions. The family was working-class; Garberbrø's father was a strong supporter of the Social Democratic Party, which inspired Garderbrø's interest in politics. She is the youngest of three children and only daughter; her elder brothers are Jonas, born  (1966-12-10) 10 December 1966 (age 57), and Karl, born  (1968-04-13) 13 April 1968 (age 55).

Garderbrø began her education in 1976, attending a local, public primary school in Kolbæk. While in primary school, Garderbrø was a gifted student and her parents theorized that she would be the first in the family to attend university. She graduated from primary school in 1986, subsequently enrolling in upper secondary school, where she studied a social sciences and humanities program, graduating in 1989. After her graduation, Garderbrø moved to Hersingborg to enroll in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Hersingborg University, graduating with a degree in political science in 1992. She subsequently returned to Sudmark, enrolling in a graduate program at the University of Randhaven, graduating with a master's degree in Eurean studies in 1994.

## Early career

After completing graduate school, Garderbrø was hired as a policy coordinator at the nongovernmental organization Morningstar. The organization supported left-wing causes, seeking to influence politicians to support left-wing policies that assisted trade unions, minorities, immigrants, and the youth.

In 1996, she left her career at Morningstar and was hired as a deputy policy advisor at the Ministry of Justice. In the position, Garderbrø advised Tine Nørgaard, the Minister of Justice, on policy decisions relating to the ministry. In 1999, she was hired by Magdalene Herren, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as the chief speechwriter in Herren's staff. She left this position in 2002, in order to begin her own career in elected politics.

## Political career

### Early politics

Garderbrø began her career in elected politics in 2002, when she was included on the Social Democratic electoral list in the 2002 general election. The party ultimately won enough seats, and she was elected to the Thusting. Throughout her first term in office, the party governed in a majority coalition although Garderbrø remained a backbencher.

After the 2006 election, the party lost their majority and entered the opposition, with Garderbrø entering the opposition along with the rest of her party. While an opposition figure, Garderbrø began to make a name for herself on the national scale, being frequently cited as a possible future party leader. In the opposition, she frequently criticized Helene-Alexandra Elkjær for her economic policies and refusing to "use her platform and power to further promote the role of women in powerful positions."

### Minister of the Interior

Following the 2014 election, the Social Democrats regained control over parliament as they returned to the majority for the first time in eight years. After this, Christian Thorsen Johansen nominated Garderbrø to serve as Minister of the Interior in his cabinet, becoming the first woman to serve in the position. As Minister of the Interior, Garderbrø was responsible for national security, immigration, and the local police force.

Serving as Minister of the Interior greatly expanded Garderbrø's national platform and popularity. By 2015, she was cited as being Johansen's "closely ally in the cabinet" and a "trusted advisor." Her handling over a 2016 incident which saw a Sudish police officer killing an unarmed civilian resulted in widespread praise and recognition from both sides of aisle. Later that year, she was cited as the "most likely" candidate to succeed Johansen as party leader and prime minister upon his eventual retirement.

### Prime minister

In November 2016, trade unions began protesting throughout Sudmark in support of stronger union protections. Johansen responded to the protests by arguing that "no concessions can be made" and that the protests are "in vain." His comments led to widespread criticism, and after Tarjei Harvoldsen, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, defended Johansen's comments, the protestors began to call for both of their resignations. Two days after defending Johansen's comments, Harvoldsen tendered his resignation from the cabinet. Three days later, Johansen confirmed that he would resign as prime minister after a successor was chosen.

Following Johansen's announcement, Garderbrø emerged as the consensus choice to serve as his successor. With her trade union familial background, members of the Social Democrats believed that she would be able to satisfy the protestors, while she also was considered to be a Johansen loyalist and protégée who could continue his government. Garderbrø was officially elected as Johansen's successor as party leader in an emergency party conference on 14 November 2016, and her first cabinet was also sworn in later that day. Following her swearing in, Garderbrø walked back on the comments made by Johansen, pledging to "listen to" the protestors; she subsequently began discussions with trade union leaders, and a deal was worked out within a week.

Garderbrø later led the Social Democrats into the 2018 election, where they maintained their parliamentary majority with an increased share of the vote. She later formed her second cabinet shortly after the election.

## Personal life

Garderbrø is unmarried, but has two children from previous relationships. She dated Sudish bartender Alexander Skou from 1996 until 1998, having a son, Christian, born  (1997-12-13) 13 December 1997 (age 26). She later dated Sudish lawyer Paul Scheve from 2005 until 2009, having a daughter, Lene, born  (2007-01-19) 19 January 2007 (age 17).

Garderbrø and her family resided in the Esgård district of Randhaven until 2016, when they moved into Kamielborg, the traditional residence of the prime minister. In 2005, Garderbrø identified herself as a "lifelong atheist." She has also frequently commented on feminism, and described herself as a "adamant feminist." Garderbrø is fluent in Sudish, Framish, Reshan, and Ditrovian.