Claus Hjort Frederiksen Danish politician Date of Birth: 04.09.1947 Country: Denmark

Biography of Claus Hjort Frederiksen

Claus Hjort Frederiksen is a Danish politician who served as the Minister of Finance from April 7, 2009, to October 3, 2011. He was also the Minister of Labour from 2001 to 2009. Frederiksen is a member of the liberal-conservative party Venstre and has held a seat in the Danish Folketing (Parliament) since 2005. Prior to his appointment as Minister, Frederiksen served as the party secretary for Venstre.

During his time as party secretary, Frederiksen was one of the main advisors to Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who eventually became the Prime Minister of Denmark. It is believed that Frederiksen played a significant role in launching the political program that led to Rasmussen's appointment. This program included forming an alliance or close friendly relations with the Danish People's Party, as their political ideologies and values aligned in many aspects.

As the Minister of Labour, Frederiksen advocated for a radical revision of the existing system of support for the unemployed. In 2009, radio journalist Jesper Tynell won the Cavling Prize for a series of 15 radio reports that exposed the "undemocratic methods of the minister." Tynell accused Frederiksen of providing false information to parliament, disregarding safety regulations for foreign workers, and engaging in other potentially illegal actions. However, these reports did not have a significant impact on Frederiksen's career.

On May 11, 2011, the Danish government decided to reintroduce border and customs controls at the borders with Sweden and Germany. Frederiksen stated that this decision was primarily driven by the increase in crime committed by visitors from abroad. Additional control and monitoring measures, such as license plate recognition devices, were implemented at the border checkpoints, and the construction of new checkpoints was planned. Frederiksen emphasized that the country would selectively screen visitors without violating the Schengen Agreement. The control measures were implemented for a period of three weeks.

Overall, Claus Hjort Frederiksen's political career has been marked by his roles as a key advisor, a Minister of Labour, and a Minister of Finance. Despite controversies and criticisms, he remains an influential figure within the Danish political landscape.