Ritt Bjerregaard
| Ritt Bjerregaard | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Lord Mayor of Copenhagen | |
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In office 1 January 2006 – 31 December 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Lars Engberg |
| Succeeded by | Frank Jensen |
| Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark | |
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In office 23 February 2000 – 21 November 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Henrik Dam Kristensen |
| Succeeded by | Mariann Fischer Boel |
| European Commissioner for the Environment | |
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In office 1 January 1995 – 15 March 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Ioannis Paleokrassas |
| Succeeded by | Margot Wallström |
| Social Minister of Denmark | |
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In office 26 October 1979 – 30 December 1981 |
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| Preceded by | Erling Jensen |
| Succeeded by | Bent Hansen |
| Education Minister of Denmark | |
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In office 13 February 1975 – 5 January 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Tove Nielsen |
| Succeeded by | Dorte Bennedsen |
| Education Minister of Denmark | |
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In office 27 September 1973 – 19 December 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Knud Heinesen |
| Succeeded by | Tove Nielsen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
19 May 1941 Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Political party | Social Democrats |
| Spouse(s) | Søren Mørch |
| Alma mater | University of Copenhagen |
| Religion | Lutheran/Church of Denmark |
Ritt Bjerregaard (full name Jytte Ritt Bjerregaard, born 19 May 1941) is a former Danish politician. She is a member of the Danish Social Democrats, and was Lord Mayor of Copenhagen from 1 January 2006 to 2010.
Bjerregaard was Education Minister from 27 September to 19 December and again from 13 February 1975 to 22 December 1978. 1973 and from 1975 to 1978 in the Cabinets of Anker Jørgensen I, II and III, and Social Minister from 1979 to 1981 in Anker Jørgensen's fourth cabinet. She was European Commissioner for the Environment from 1994 to 1999 and Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries in the Cabinet of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV from 2000 to 2001.
She was a member of the Danish parliament (Folketinget) from 21 September 1971 to 22 January 1995 and from 20 November 2001 until 8 February 2005. She was a minister of various cabinets under Anker Jørgensen, and Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. In the 1970s Bjerregaard's political career really took off. In 1971, she was elected to the Odense City Council where she served just one term and resigned in 1973. In 1971 and 1975-1978 she held the position as minister of education. As minister of education she managed to change the Primary School Act in 1975 with the support from the majority of the other parties. On 5 November 1975 Bjerregaard hired an external chancellor for Roskilde University. Venstre and Conservative People's Party wanted to abolish the university, but thanks to the independent politician, former Conservative People's Party member Hans Jørgen Lembourn, the university was saved. In 1976 she introduced restricted admission at the universities meanwhile secured the protection of minorities. In 1977 Bjerregaard got the law about Erhvervsfaglige Grunduddannelser - EFG (Vocational basic training) approved. With former head of department Erik Ib Schmidt she launched the ambitious, complete education plan U 90 from 1978. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Ritt changed her stance on EU. After being an opponent for many years, she became chairman The Danish European Movement (Den Danske Europabevægelse).
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