Yesterday, on 28 June, new Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen presented his cabinet and his government’s programme. As regards the labour market he is planning, amongst other things, to revise social benefits — with view to drastically reduce them —, to introduce tax breaks for low and very high earners, to make overseas recruitment more straightforward and to restore tripartite negotiations. His decision to appoint the outgoing director of the country’s main employers’ confederation as the Employment Minister, has provoked much criticism.
“Together for the future”, this is title of the new government’s programme. Lars Løkke Rasmussen heads the centre-right coalition which came out victorious, though by a small margin (90 seats to 85), in the general election of 18 June. The new government (he led the country from 2009 to 2011), is a “minority” because the party was unable to reach an agreement with the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti, DF), which was a big winner in the elections. His cabinet is made up almost exclusively of members of his own liberal party, Venstre (the country’s third party, with 19.5%); the only exception is the Employment Minister, who is not from any of the parties.
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