Now We Have the Reshuffle, the Policies Will Come Tomorrow
Updates and corrections are in italics.
Well, I had to complain about something, didn’t I? But the truth is that the real McCoy will only be revealed tomorrow – in a way the reshuffle was only the primer.
1. In terms of the distribution of portfolios, we have two changes: The Liberals exchange Social Affairs with the Conservatives in favour of Health, and the Conservatives get Science and Higher Education (which could be seen as an exchange for losing Climate and Energy last November). Otherwise, the parties have held on to their portfolios. And the distribution between the two parties is very much what we would expect in terms of their share of portfolios and their distribution.1
Update: Two changes? I’m counting like the Spanish Inquisition here: The Liberals got Transport from the Conservatives which would be the direct swap for Science and Higher Education. The Conservatives usually hold Transport in a coalition government – exceptions were 1968-1971 (Ove Guldberg, Liberal) and 1982-1988 (Arne Melchior and later Frode Nør Christensen, CD).
2. Did Søren Gade jump or was he pushed? Did he trigger the reshuffle or was it a convenient moment for everybody to have him leave the government? Everybody agree that Gade was a dead man in the Defence Ministry and I think the timing made it possible for Lars Løkke to relieve him of his duties without it becoming too embarrassing. Taking a complete time-out is not unknown in Swedish politics, so Gade might still make a return to national politics in 2011.
3. If we look at the ministers who left/were sacked, Kristian Jensen is the only real surprise. As somebody noted, the Liberals have lost their Nos. 2 and 3 in the government. (Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard – in Danish – discusses KJ here).
4. The Conservatives sent two ministers back to the parliamentary group and recruited two outsiders. Indications of a group which is not exactly filled with talent. I, too, think Lene Espersen is taking a chance in bringing Charlotte Sahl-Madsen into government. On the other hand, Science and Higher Education is not exactly a portfolio which makes or breaks a government.
5. Hans Christian Schkidt and Henrik Høegh as new Liberal ministers? So much for the green Liberal politics.
6. I am among those who were sceptical about the rumours of Lene Espersen wanting to take over the Foreign Office. The FO is not as big as it used to be and there will be quite a lot of travelling, even if Espersen in all likelihood will not be following Carl Bildt’s lead. On the other hand, she had been painted into a corner by Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Bendt Bendtsen with the Business portfolio. The only way out of the predicament was up. I am not convinced by the argument that Foreign Ministers are popular and that this will spill over on the Conservatives at the next election.
7. When all is said and done, then this is probably the biggest reshuffle in terms of persons that we have seen in Denmark.
The Kommentariat: Peter Mogensen, Niels Krause-Kjær, Kristian Madsen, Ask Rostrup, Jarl Cordua.
- I know: Women’s rights and Nordic Cooperation. But these are Mickey Mouse-portfolios. [↩]
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