Ministry of Social Affairs (Denmark)

Last updated
Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing
Ministry of Social Affairs (Denmark)
Socialministeriet.jpg
Headquarters of the ministry on Holmens Kanal
Agency overview
Formed23 April 1924 (1924-04-23)
Jurisdiction Government of Denmark
Headquarters22 Holmens Kanal, Copenhagen
Agency executive
Child agency
Website https://www.sm.dk

The Ministry of Social Affairs (Danish : Socialministeriet) is a Danish cabinet ministry responsible for policies related to the social welfare of the inhabitants of Denmark. As of 2025, it is responsible for the following policy areas: disability law, family law, public housing, social exclusion, social vulnerability, and the voluntary sector. [1]

Contents

A ministry of social affairs was first established in Denmark in 1924. It has been re-organized, re-established, and renamed several times since. The ministry was established under its current name, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing (Danish: Social- og Boligministeriet), in 2024. The current minister is Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil. [2]

History

The Ministry of Social Affairs was first established in 1924, under the first government led by the Social Democrats, Thorvald Stauning's first cabinet. The ministry overtook responsibility for social affairs, international social policy, child welfare, and mental health services—roles which previously fell within the purview of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Education. [3]

The ministry was abolished in 1926 when Stauning's cabinet was succeeded by the Venstre Party. When Stauning came back to power in 1929, the ministry was re-estabilished. In 1940, the responsibility for labor law was separated from the ministry, forming the Ministry of Labor. Between 1945–1947 and 1950–1953 the two ministries were merged. [3]

In 2007, the ministry was replaced by the Ministry of Welfare (Danish: Velfærdsministeriet) and the Ministry of Health and Prevention. The Ministry of Social Affairs was re-estabilished in February 2010, taking over the roles of the Ministry of Welfare. [4] This included the supervision of the Sikringsstyrelsen, a directorate which worked to secure citizens' social rights, including in the form of international pension and social security, across national borders.

With the formation of Helle Thorning-Schmidt's first cabinet in October 2011, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration, and took over responsibility for integration policy from the Ministry of Refugees, Immigrants and Integration (Danish: Ministeriet for Flygtninge, Indvandrere og Integration). The name of the ministry again changed in 2013 to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Children and Integration when it overtook responsibility for child welfare from the Ministry of Education. In 2014, its name was changed to the Ministry of Children, Equality, Integration and Social Affairs and in 2015 it was renamed the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Interior. [3] [5]

In 2016, the ministry was briefly reformed as the Ministry of Children and Social Affairs before returning to be the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Interior in 2019. [5] In 2021 the ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Social Affairs and Elderly Affairs. [6] In 2022, the ministry merged with the Ministry for Housing to form the Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing, and Elderly Affairs. In 2024, an independent Ministry of Elderly Affairs was formed and separated from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing. [2]

List of ministers

No.PortraitName
(Born-Died)		TermPolitical PartyGovernment
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Minister for Social Affairs
(Socialminister)
1
Jensjensen.jpg
Jens Jensen
(1859–1928)		5 April 19205 May 192030 days Social Democrats Friis Cabinet
2
Frederik Borgbjerg 02.jpg
Frederik Borgbjerg
(1866–1936)		23 April 192414 December 19262 years, 235 days Social Democrats Stauning I Cabinet
3
Karl Kristian Steincke.jpg
Steincke, Karl Kristian Karl Kristian Steincke
(1880–1962)		30 April 19295 November 19356 years, 189 days Social Democrats Stauning II Cabinet
4
Blank.png
Ludvig Christensen  [ da ]
(1878–1956)		5 November 19358 July 19404 years, 246 days Social Democrats Stauning III Cabinet–IV–V
5
Blank.png
Johannes Kjærbøl
(1885–1973)		8 July 19409 November 19422 years, 124 days Social Democrats Stauning VI Cabinet
Buhl I Cabinet
6
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Laurits Hansen
(1894–1965)		9 November 19425 May 19452 years, 177 days Social Democrats Scavenius Cabinet
7
Hans Hedtoft achter zijn bureau op het ministerie, Bestanddeelnr 252-8965 (cropped).jpg
Hans Hedtoft
(1903–1955)		5 May 19457 November 1945186 days Social Democrats Buhl II Cabinet
8
Soren Peter Larsen elfelt-kongelig-hoffotograf-formentlig-1945.jpg
Søren Peter Larsen  [ da ]
(1888–1948)		7 November 194524 April 19471 year, 168 days Venstre Kristensen Cabinet
9
Jens Sonderup.jpg
Jens Sønderup
(1894–1978)		24 April 194713 November 1947203 days Venstre Kristensen Cabinet
10
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Johan Strøm  [ da ]
(1898–1958)		13 November 194730 October 19502 years, 351 days Social Democrats Hedtoft I Cabinet
11
Blank.png
Poul Sørensen
(1904–1969)		30 October 195030 September 19532 years, 335 days Conservatives Eriksen Cabinet
(10)
Blank.png
Johan Strøm  [ da ]
(1898–1958)		30 September 195328 May 19573 years, 240 days Social Democrats Hedtoft II Cabinet
Hansen I Cabinet
12
Julius Bomholt 21-08-1966.jpg
Julius Bomholt
(1896–1969)		28 May 19577 September 19614 years, 102 days Social Democrats Hansen II Cabinet
Kampmann I Cabinet–II
13
Blank.png
Kaj Bundvad  [ da ]
(1904–1976)		7 September 19612 February 19686 years, 148 days Social Democrats Kampmann II Cabinet
Krag I Cabinet–II
14
Blank.png
Nathalie Lind
(1918–1999)		2 February 196811 October 19713 years, 251 days Venstre Baunsgaard Cabinet
15
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Eva Gredal
(1927–1995)		11 October 197119 December 19732 years, 69 days Social Democrats Krag III Cabinet
Jørgensen I Cabinet
16
Blank.png
Jacob Sørensen  [ da ]
(1915–1990)		19 December 197313 February 19751 year, 56 days Venstre Hartling Cabinet
(15)
Blank.png
Eva Gredal
(1927–1995)		13 February 197530 August 19783 years, 198 days Social Democrats Jørgensen II Cabinet
17
Blank.png
Erling Jensen  [ da ]
(1919–2000)		30 August 197826 October 19791 year, 57 days Social Democrats Jørgensen III Cabinet
18
Ritt Bjerregaard portrait.JPG
Ritt Bjerregaard
(1941–2023)		26 October 197930 December 19812 years, 65 days Social Democrats Jørgensen IV Cabinet
19
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Bent Hansen  [ da ]
(1931–2000)		30 December 198127 April 1982118 days Social Democrats Jørgensen V Cabinet
20
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Bent Rold Andersen  [ da ]
(1929–2015)		27 April 198210 September 1982136 days Social Democrats Jørgensen V Cabinet
21
Palle Simonsen.jpg
Palle Simonsen  [ da ]
(1933–2014)		10 September 198223 July 19841 year, 317 days Conservatives Schlüter I Cabinet
22
Blank.png
Elsebeth Kock-Petersen
(born 1949)		23 July 198412 March 19861 year, 232 days Venstre Schlüter I Cabinet
23
Blank.png
Mimi Jakobsen
(born 1948)		12 March 19863 June 19882 years, 83 days Centre Democrats Schlüter I Cabinet–II
24
Blank.png
Aase Olesen
(1934–2013)		3 June 198818 December 19902 years, 198 days Social Liberals Schlüter III Cabinet
25
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Else Winther Andersen
(born 1941)		18 December 199025 January 19932 years, 38 days Venstre Schlüter IV Cabinet
26
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Karen Jespersen
(born 1947)		25 January 199328 January 19941 year, 3 days Social Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I Cabinet
27
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Bente Juncker  [ da ]
(born 1944)		28 January 199411 February 199414 days Centre Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I Cabinet
28
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Yvonne Herløv Andersen
(born 1942)		11 February 199427 September 1994228 days Centre Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I Cabinet
(26)
Blank.png
Karen Jespersen
(born 1947)		27 September 199423 February 20005 years, 149 days Social Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen II Cabinet–III–IV
29
Henrik Dam Kristensen (S) Danmarks delegation till Nordiska radet.jpg
Henrik Dam Kristensen
(born 1957)		23 February 200027 November 20011 year, 277 days Social Democrats Poul Nyrup Rasmussen IV Cabinet
30
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Henriette Kjær
(born 1966)		27 November 20012 August 20042 years, 249 days Conservatives Anders Fogh Rasmussen I Cabinet
31
20181204 Eva Kjer Hansen Granshindermote Folketinget Greater Copenhagen OresundDirekt 0041 (45332844785) (cropped).jpg
Eva Kjer Hansen
(born 1964)		2 August 200412 September 20073 years, 41 days Venstre Anders Fogh Rasmussen I Cabinet–II
(26)
Blank.png
Karen Jespersen
(born 1947)		12 September 200723 November 200772 days Venstre Anders Fogh Rasmussen II Cabinet
Office abolished
(23 November 2007 – 7 April 2009)
Minister for the Interior and Social Affairs
(Indenrigs- og socialminister)
32
Karen Ellemann miljominister, minister for nordisk samarbejde Danmark (1).jpg
Karen Ellemann
(born 1969)		7 April 200923 February 2010322 days Venstre Lars Løkke Rasmussen I Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs
(Socialminister)
33
KF-Kiaer.jpg
Benedikte Kiær
(born 1969)		23 February 20103 October 20111 year, 222 days Conservatives Lars Løkke Rasmussen I Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs and Integration
(Social- og integrationsminister)
34
Karen Haekkerup, pressefoto.jpg
Karen Hækkerup
(born 1974)		3 October 20119 August 20131 year, 310 days Social Democrats Thorning-Schmidt I Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs, Children and Integration
(Social-, børne- og integrationsminister)
35
Statsminister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Annette Vilhelmsen og Holger K. Nielsen (cropped to Annette Vilhelmsen).jpg
Annette Vilhelmsen
(born 1959)		9 August 20133 February 2014178 days SF Thorning-Schmidt I Cabinet
Minister for Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs
(Minister for Børn, Ligestilling, Integration og Sociale forhold)
36
Manu Sareen.jpg
Manu Sareen
(born 1967)		3 October 201128 June 20153 years, 268 days Social Liberals Thorning-Schmidt II Cabinet
Minister for the Interior and Social Affairs
(Indenrigs- og socialminister)
(32)
Karen Ellemann miljominister, minister for nordisk samarbejde Danmark (1).jpg
Karen Ellemann
(born 1969)		28 June 201528 November 20161 year, 153 days Venstre Lars Løkke Rasmussen II Cabinet
Minister for Children and Social Affairs
(Børne- og socialminister)
37
Blank.png
Mai Mercado
(born 1980)		28 November 201627 June 20192 years, 211 days Conservatives Lars Løkke Rasmussen III Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs and the Interior
(Social- og indenrigsminister)
38
Astrid Krag.jpg
Astrid Krag
(born 1982)		27 June 201921 January 20211 year, 208 days Social Democrats Frederiksen I Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs and Elderly Affairs
(Social- og Ældreminister)
(38)
Astrid Krag.jpg
Astrid Krag
(born 1982)		21 January 202115 December 20221 year, 328 days Social Democrats Frederiksen I Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs, Housing, and Elderly Affairs
(Social-, Bolig- og Ældreminister)
39
Education and ECOFIN Ministers (08-11-19, Bruxelles) (cropped).jpg
Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil
(born 1977)		15 December 202229 August 20241 year, 258 days Social Democrats Frederiksen II Cabinet
Minister for Social Affairs and Housing
(Social- og boligminister)
40
20230428 Sophie Haestorp Andersen Greater Cph toppmote Malmo 012 (52879983708).jpg
Sophie Hæstorp Andersen
(born 1974)		29 August 2024Incumbent−20 years, 27 days Social Democrats Frederiksen II Cabinet

References

  1. ↑ "Ministry of Social Affairs". Social- og Boligministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Ændringer i regeringen". Statsministeriet (in Danish). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Rambusch, Sigurd; Rasmussen, Uffe (3 May 2023). "Socialministeriet". Danmarks Nationalleksikon (in Danish). Den Store Danske . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  4. ↑ Rasmussen, Uffe (11 October 2011). "Velfærdsministeriet". Danmarks Nationalleksikon (in Danish). Den Store Danske . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 Rasmussen, Uffe (12 December 2016). "Social- og Indenrigsministeriet". Danmarks Nationalleksikon (in Danish). Den Store Danske . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "Nyt Indenrigs- og Boligministerium". Statsministeriet (in Danish). 21 January 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
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